


Forgotten and Found

by mistressterably



Category: The Thick of It (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-30
Updated: 2018-11-13
Packaged: 2019-03-11 12:14:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 42
Words: 47,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13524036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mistressterably/pseuds/mistressterably
Summary: Post Number 10 life for Malcolm isn't so rosy and he hopes that finding the right woman will do the trick.





	1. Prequel

‘Stop your fidgeting, Malcolm,’ Sam was smacking her boss’s hands away from his bow tie. ‘You’ll either undo it altogether or tighten it too much.’

‘Stop fucking mothering me!’ Malcolm shot back trying to get away from Sam’s hands as they straightened up his bow tie. ‘Why the fuck did I hire you on as my assistant anyway?’ Malcolm scowled at the long haired brunette.

‘Because I’m the only one who can put up with you and your foul tempered mouth without wanting to do some of the things you describe to you in return.’ Sam finished with his bow tie and patted his bearded cheek in a sisterly way. ‘Now, promise me you’ll behave tonight.’

‘It’s my own fucking book launch party, Sam. I’m the fucking center of goddamn attention. I don’t have to fucking behave!’

‘You know what I mean,’ Sam gave him a punch in the chest. ‘No bollocking the press that’s there to promote your book.’

‘I have fucking done this before, Sam. This is the second part.’ Malcolm ran a hand through his hair and earned another smack from Sam. ‘Is that lad of yours going to show up this time?’

‘If you’re talking about my fiancé, George, then yes, he is going to be there. You did tell me I could invite him along.’

‘I wasn’t saying you couldn’t. Just wanted to know if he was, is all.’ Malcolm grumbled and finally escaped Sam’s mothering fussiness. He grabbed his jacket and covered his annoyance by settling it on his shoulders. He hoped that he wouldn’t have to watch George fawn all over Sam. How the fuck two people can be so fucking happy together had become annoying to Malcolm. Jamie told him once that he was just pissed that other people got to be happy when all he had got himself was screwed over by his ex-wife. Screwed over was an understatement, Malcolm thought. His wife had done nothing but express love and adoration and commitment to him and then she had turned her back on him and not cared about being caught with her lover in their own bed. Fucking bitch, Malcolm hissed in his head and then painted on his smile again for Sam. ‘There. Do I meet your exacting standards?’

‘You do.’ Sam agreed. ‘So, you’ll behave?’

‘Yes, I will behave. I promise to not bollock any photographers, reviewers or any other press that appear at this launch.’

‘And any fans?’

‘Sweet fucking lord, Sam. There aren’t supposed to be any at this.’ Malcolm had found it tiresome to sign copies of his first book for people. 

‘It’s those fans who are buying your book and keeping you from going back to some press job.’ Sam reminded him.

‘Fuck off.’ Malcolm growled, the only way he would ever give Sam any sign that she was in fact right. Sam just shook her head with a slight smile.

Arriving at the book launch, the valet opened the door of their car and Malcolm stepped out to the flash of a handful of photographers. He had become known for his first collection of memoirs and this was to be his second one. It took time for him to get them published but, with help from his legal advisor, he was able to publish a lot more lurid details with just enough veiling of names to get away with writing some of his anecdotes. And it was that level of detail and giving people a chance to play a guessing game as to who the people involved were that was getting him the publicity and fame now. The money was good too, he admitted to himself. A fan had made it through and he was once more scribbling his signature on the front page of a copy of his book. A casual ‘Fuck off’ with a smile was his way of saying goodbye to fans and they seemed to love it even if he meant it for them to actually fuck off, but whatever worked, he thought. 

Malcolm steeled himself for a night of fake appreciation for the gathered press in hopes of getting better reviews or press to boost sales of his book. He hated it. Absolutely fucking hated it. But the buzz from his first book had proved to him that with the right coverage he could get more out of his work. And that was the only reason why he stood amidst these people, all of them dressed in finery to impress the photographers and in the hopes of making it to a social page somewhere. His long fingers gripped his glass of champagne firmly to keep himself from tugging at his bow tie. 

‘Mr. Tucker.’ 

The American accent of the young lady trying to get his attention had him turning around to see who was there. She was, in her heels anyway, close to his height. Blonde hair, curled and washing over her shoulders. Malcolm’s first thought was to picture her in a fashion magazine. He couldn’t help himself and his eyes ran up and down the length of her body. Curved hips, long legs, breasts nice and round handfuls he imagined resting in the palm of his hands perfectly. Her lips were a soft red, cheeks just slightly blushed. It felt like he was staring at her, but it was only the briefest of moments before he felt a stirring in his gut that he hadn’t felt for a very long time. ‘Yes?’ Malcolm spoke finally.

‘It’s such a pleasure to meet you.’ Her hand, soft with long fingers, the nails perfectly manicured, held out and he took it, lifting it to his lips as he bent slightly and kissed it. Did he hold her hand too long? Did he press his lips too close? Fuck, he felt his groin clench suddenly from an urgent need. He stood up. ‘I’m Gigi. Gigi Elliott. I have to confess that I conned my way in tonight with a friend. I just had to meet you in person.’

‘Me? Why?’ Malcolm was too caught up in her beauty to pay any more attention to what she was saying. 

‘Your book should really be made into a movie.’ Gigi said. ‘I have some friends in LA that could help with that if you wanted to.’

‘What? Wait? Are you just trying to con me into a film deal or some bullshit like that?’ Malcolm tried to focus more.

‘Me? No. I would love to see that, but I just had to meet the man behind those events. You’re so complex and so… hard.’ Her hand rested on his arm lightly.

‘Well, I’m ah, not hard.’ Malcolm coughed suddenly. ‘It was just my job. Had to get things done the way they needed to be done.’

Gigi smiled sweetly at him. ‘Of course you did. Getting things done is what everyone wants to do.’ Malcolm watched as her lips parted to sip from her own glass of champagne. ‘Did you actually curse people the way you say you do in your book?’

‘Yes.’ Malcolm couldn’t really form anything more coherent in response. 

‘Can I confess something, Malcolm?’ Gigi leaned close to him, her voice dropping slightly. 

Malcolm had to fight to control himself as her breath whispered against his skin. Could he get anymore fucking aroused, he groaned inwardly. ‘Sure.’ 

‘I’ve thought about what it would be like to have you curse like that to me.’

Malcolm blinked furiously at her words. ‘You.. uh.. What?’

She leaned closer, her breasts just lightly brushing his jacket. ‘I fantasise about you telling me to fuck off.’ Her words were so soft that he almost didn’t hear them, but he did and he had to gulp hard to compose himself. Gigi stood back again and smiled at him. ‘Could you?’

‘Not here.’ Malcolm admitted. 

‘Oh no, definitely not here.’ 

‘Fuck,’ Malcolm grunted. ‘I can’t leave yet. I’ve got to stay till the bitter end.’

‘Must you?’ Gigi pouted and again Malcolm felt his groin tighten. 

‘I’m the fucking center of attention here.’ Malcolm looked around. ‘Look, um, maybe.. Fuck..’

Gigi laughed lightly. ‘I’m staying at the Arch Hotel. Do you know it?’

‘I know everything about London, darling.’ Malcolm grinned. ‘Meet you there later?’

‘Room 501,’ Gigi said in his ear, kissed his bearded cheek lightly and then went off to mingle on her own some more. Malcolm watched her, getting a good look at her ass and wondered how the fuck he was going to last until this party ended. 

The attention Malcolm got from Gigi did not go unnoticed. George, Sam’s fiancé, had been fetching a fresh glass of champagne for himself and Sam when he had spotted the interplay between the young blonde and his fiancee’s boss. He had never really gotten along well with Malcolm. He couldn’t stand the way the man cursed constantly, but he also knew from Sam that Malcolm was not the type to play around. If anything, as far as George knew, Malcolm was most likely to stay aloof from the opposite sex almost to the point of avoidance. 

‘Sam.’ George handed his fiancee her glass. ‘Did you catch that at all?’

‘Catch what?’ Sam asked, sipping her drink. 

‘Looks like Malcolm’s pulled a bird.’ George told her. ‘Although, I’d be more likely to put the money on the blonde pulling Malcolm.’

‘Who?’ Sam asked and followed the look from George to catch sight of the blonde weaving through the crowd. ‘Her? Are you sure? That’s not at all the sort of lady Malcolm would go for.’

‘As if Malcolm goes for anyone.’ George reminded her. 

‘Shush!’ Sam told him off lightly for talking about the subject in public, even though no one was around them. 

‘Anyway, I don’t blame him for looking eager. A blonde like that coming up to any man looking for a night of fun would put the fire in him.’

‘You had better not be talking about yourself!’ Sam warned him.

‘Don’t need a blonde when I have a brunette.’ George winked at his fiancee. ‘Good luck to your boss though.’

The book launch ran another hour before Malcolm was able to make his exit. He checked in with Sam on his way out. ‘Sam, I’m off. Look, tomorrow.. Take the day off. I don’t know if I’ll be up to doing much in the morning.’

‘I thought you wanted to go over those edits tomorrow?’

‘They can hold off a day. Besides, we’ve all had a fair bit of champagne tonight. Call it a bonus. Make it a paid day off. You’ve probably got some fucking shopping to do for your upcoming wedding or something.’ Malcolm grinned. ‘I’ll see you in a few days.’

Sam couldn’t say anything else as Malcolm was already off towards the main entrance of the hall they had booked for the launch. George slipped his hand in hers, ‘Told you. He’s got himself a lady for the night and he’s going to be a bit busy.’

‘This doesn’t feel right.’ Sam said, her women’s intuition was tingling madly.

‘Not much you can do, Sam, my love. Malcolm’s a big boy. He can look after himself.’

‘He can handle himself when up against the halls of power, but when it’s up against the power of a blonde in heels? We’ll have to see how that works.’

* * *  
Malcolm strode purposefully to the waiting car and gave the driver directions to Gigi’s hotel rather than his own house. As they drove the streets of London, Malcolm’s imagination got the better of him and he felt his cock stirring already in his pants. He shifted slightly in the seat and did up his jacket. No point in showing the entire city of London that he was ready and willing to fuck Ms. Elliot.

At the hotel, the car pulled up to the front and he got out. Heading inside the foyer, he was greeted by the night manager, ‘Mr. Tucker? What brings you to my hotel?’

‘A friend of mine is staying here. Ms. Elliott. Room 501.’ Malcolm smiled and the night manager just returned a nod with a gesture towards the elevators. Malcolm was soon inside the elevator, shoulders straight as he looked at his reflection in the mirrored walls. He ran fingers through his hair and over his full beard. Malcolm was glad that his jacket hung long enough to cover the bulging in his trousers. The closer he got to her room the more his groin ached. How long had it really been since his last time with a woman? Couldn’t really remember, could he. Suddenly he felt himself get nervous. Daft fucker, Malcolm kicked himself mentally. She’s a hot woman who obviously wanted to have a bit of fun and he was certainly up for it. 

A ding announced the opening of the elevator doors and he left it to search the closest room numbers and was at her door within moments. He knocked on the door and took a step back for her to see him through the peephole. He was smiling when the door opened and she was greeting him. Taking her invitation to join her in her room, Malcolm appreciated the silky pink dressing gown she had on that only just covered her groin. The belt was tied only loosely around her waist and the folds fell open enough for him to see a very sheer negligee underneath. Glimpses of her soft breasts made him twitch in his trousers. 

‘Malcolm! I was beginning to think you’d not come by.’ Gigi was leading him into her room, a half empty glass of champagne in her hands. 

‘I left as soon as I could.’ Malcolm explained. ‘It was my book launch, so I had to stay until the bitter end. If I’d had my way..’ He drifted off his words as he watched her ass walking before him. His tongue darted out to lick his lips.

‘That’s good to know.’ Gigi laughed lightly. The sound of her voice made Malcolm want to take her there, but he held back. She was near the bed by the time she turned to him, her lips on the edge of the glass to finish the champagne in it. Malcolm took the glass from her and placed it on the table beside the still chilled bottle. ‘I’ve been waiting for you, Malcolm.’ 

‘Fuck me,’ Malcolm groaned and stepped towards her. Taking her face in his large hands to kiss her hard. Gigi’s hands ran over his beard, stroking him before they made their way down over his chest. Her fingers unbuttoned his jacket and pushed it apart. Malcolm grunted as he continued to hungrily kiss her. Gigi was soon laying her hands on his waist. 

Malcolm’s fingers wound through her blonde hair, his hungry lips sucked on hers. One hand left her hair to slide down over the silk of her dressing gown to cup a breast, squeezing it a bit more harshly than he intended, but Gigi only moaned with excited arousal. His breathing increased in pace and his hand was soon yanking the tied belt free to let the dressing gown fall open. Gigi’s fingers were finding his belt to loosen it and undo the button of his trousers. She moaned aloud as Malcolm’s long fingers were between her legs to roughly massage her wet crotch through her panties. The sound of her moans in Malcolm’s ears made him groan himself. Roughly tugging the sheer panties to one side to dip his fingers inside her, thrusting in and out of her.

Gigi, taking his eager cue, thrust her hand down into his trousers without bothering to unzip them. She moaned again as she felt the thick, hard shaft pressing against the cotton of his boxers. Malcolm pushed against her, backing her up against the edge of the bed. It was Malcolm’s hands that pushed down his trousers. His erection came free, bobbing slightly. He pushed against Gigi once more, this time having her sit on the edge of the bed, his knee between her legs to part them. Gigi took hold of his shaft and helping to guide him inside her, her panties wet and pushed to one side. 

Pent up urgent needs surged through Malcolm and he was soon thrusting hard and fast into her. Gigi was moaning and clutching his back, the force of his thrusts were exactly what she was wanting. He was furiously pounding into her, the intensity of the sex washed over him. Gigi could see Malcolm’s ass in the mirror behind him. She watched his body over his shoulder as he fucked her hard and fast. His lips on her neck and shoulders as he ground into her. 

‘Oh fuck! Fuck!’ Malcolm groaned and felt his orgasm rip through him quickly as he pulsed inside her. It took all of his strength in that moment to not collapse on top of her with all of his weight. Gigi’s legs were wrapped around him as he trembled after his orgasm. She had been left wanting, but Malcolm had no more to give her, his urgent need sated for the time being. With a groan, he pulled out of her and sat on the bed beside her, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and his face in hands. ‘Sorry. Fucking hell. Sorry.’ 

Gigi sat up, her annoyance at not being brought off buried inside for now, she wrapped an arm around his shoulders to hug him. ‘It’s all right, Malcolm. Hey, don’t..’

Malcolm was choking back a sob. ‘I feel like I just fucking used you.’

‘You didn’t Malcolm. I wanted it too.’

‘And you didn’t get anything did you!’ Malcolm shot back, angry at himself. ‘Fucking fuck me. Never thought I’d get this fucking bad.’

‘Malcolm, stop.’ Gigi took him by the chin and turned his face towards hers. She kissed him softly. ‘I guess it’s been a while for you?’ He nodded. ‘Do you feel better now?’ He nodded again. ‘Look, why don’t we get some sleep. You’ll feel better in the morning. You can make it up to me then.’

‘You?’ Malcolm looked at her, questioning.

‘Sleep the night with me, Malcolm. Make love to me in the morning. Properly.’ 

‘You’re not mad?’

‘No, I’m not. I just want you,’ Gigi began to unbutton his shirt to undress him properly. ‘Make love to me in the morning.’


	2. Part 1 - Lost - 3 Years later

Malcolm sat at his desk, pen scratching quickly over a typed out press release. It was getting harder for him to focus of late. It was late. He wasn’t getting younger either. Picking up his glasses, he settled them on the bridge of his nose and went back to his editing. As he worked, he lost track of time until his mobile rang loudly on the desk beside him. The sudden noise made him jump and he dropped his pen on the floor as he tried to get his phone to answer it. ‘What the fuck do you want?’ He barked into the mobile.

‘Well, well. If my sexy Scot doesn’t have an attitude tonight.’ Gigi, his lover, was at their house where she had expected him to be. ‘Why are you still at the office?’

‘Was busy on some edits. I do have a deadline to finish this book.’ Malcolm mumbled. 

‘Leave it to Sam to do the edits. That’s why you pay her, isn’t it?’ Gigi gazed at her manicured fingers to check for chips in the polish. She made a mental note to make an appointment for the next week. 

‘I pay Sam to be my assistant and publicist. The writing is my job. Which you know full well.’ Malcolm grunted and scratched at his cheek. The stubble was getting to him again. He’d have to shave as soon as he got home. 

‘You were to take me out to dinner tonight.’ Gigi reminded him.

‘Fucking hell,’ Malcolm groaned in despair. ‘I want to finish up this chapter tonight, Gigi. Can we go out tomorrow?’

‘Fine.’ Gigi snapped slightly. ‘You work. I’ll go out. I’m sure Louisa and Diane will appreciate the night out.’

‘Look, just fucking stay in. We’ll go out tomorrow.’ Malcolm barked back at her. ‘I’m not going to pay for the three of you to go off on some party night at the clubs.’

‘Don’t even think you can threaten me with that, Malcolm.’ Gigi’s voice got hard.

Malcolm threw down his pen and sat back in his chair. ‘Fucking hell, Gigi, leave it be. Just stay home. I’ll make it up to you.’

‘I’d already made plans to go out tonight and I’m all dressed to go out, so I am going out. Without you it seems. Stay and work. I don’t give a damn. Don’t bother waiting up. I’ll probably stay out late and if I need to I’ll stay at Louisa’s place.’

‘Don’t you fucking dare! You get home when the club closes.’ Malcolm shot up straight.

‘As if you can stop me, Malcolm. I’ll see you tomorrow night.’ Gigi hung up the phone with a sadistic smile on her face. Getting up she went to the nightstand on Malcolm’s side of the bed and opened it. She took out a small fold of bills, checked the amount and then called Louisa. ‘Lovey! How are you tonight? You busy?’

‘Busy? I’ve not got any dates yet tonight if that’s what you mean.’ Louisa, her friend, was still getting ready to go to the club. ‘Was going to freelance tonight at the club.’

‘Well, if you get lucky that’ll be a bonus. I have enough for both of us and Diane to have a very good night.’ 

‘Oh? Malcolm’s being free with his money for a change?’ Louisa laughed. 

‘As if I need his permission for anything, lovey. I’ll collect Diane and pick you up soon. Be ready.’ Gigi hung up and smiled at her own reflection in the mirror. A last touch up of her lipstick and she slipped the handful of money into her pocket book to head out on the town. 

Malcolm stared at the phone in his hands for a long few minutes. It was all he could do to not take the phone and throw it against the wall. At the mention of Louisa’s name, Malcolm knew exactly what his lover would wind up doing that night. She’d go to the club with her girlfriends, drink a lot, dance with whoever was good looking enough and then likely get high, maybe even blindly fuck one of those men she danced with and all he would get tomorrow is the usual apology, the promise to make it up to him and then the passionate sex and devoted attention from her for a short while. Until she got mad again. The cycle continued and he hated it. 

The pen in his hand snapped apart suddenly. The noise startled him. It was that which got thrown against the wall. He ripped off his tie and jacket, got up from his desk and went to the cabinet against the far wall. He pulled out a ¾ full bottle of scotch and threw himself down on the couch he’d had in his office for at least a year now. Drinking directly from the bottle, Malcolm stretched out on the couch. He wondered why he continued on with Gigi. 

Sam would of course tell him. She never held back. She’ll show up here in the office in the morning. She’ll see him passed out here, drunk and she’ll help him get cleaned up as she always did. She’ll not say anything right away but the look in her eyes would be scathing enough. He drank deeply of the scotch, wincing at the burn in his throat. Sam will wait until he’d been pumped with a pot of coffee and then she’d ask him what happened and he’d tell her. Then Sam would patiently tell him that he’d be better off without Gigi. That he’d do better to settle with her and move on without her in his life. But he couldn’t admit to Sam why. He couldn’t even admit it to himself any more, really. 

Gigi was addicted to her drugs and alcohol. 

Malcolm was addicted to Gigi.


	3. Chapter 3

The following morning, Sam arrived at the office expecting to turn off the alarm, but was greeted by just a locked door with no alarm on. George had joined her that day, carrying a bag for her. ‘What’s wrong?’ He asked.

‘No alarm set.’ Sam opened the door, rather suspecting already what she was going to walk in on. George set the bag on her desk. ‘I bet he’s done an all-nighter.’

‘Why on earth would he be doing that? Thought it was just edits left?’ 

‘I don’t think it was a work related all-nighter.’ Sam spoke with a sour note in her voice. 

‘Not again,’ George groaned. ‘Want me to handle him?’

‘Heavens, no.’ Sam said. ‘You two don’t get along when you’re both sober. If he’s still drunk at all he’ll go absolutely crazy on you. Let me deal with the darling.’ 

‘He needs to get into rehab.’ George grumped. 

‘It’s not the rehab he needs.’ Sam said sharply. ‘Wait here.’ 

Heading down the short hallway into the large office Malcolm used, Sam cautiously opened the door and peeked in. She had done this once before and found Malcolm with his lady on the couch and did not want a repeat of that ever again. This time it was just Malcolm. Passed out and stinking of scotch. No wonder, she thought, as she saw the dried stain on his shirt from where he had spilled some on his chest. Grimacing at the sight, Sam approached the sprawled Scot on the couch and gently prised the nearly empty bottle of scotch from his slack hand. After she set it back in the cabinet, Sam turned her attention to her boss. ‘Oh, Malcolm. When will you see sense again?’

All she got by way of response was a snore from him. At first, she shook Malcolm gently to try and rouse him. When that went nowhere, she took hold of his ear and gave it a very sharp tug. That did the trick and Malcolm woke with a start and a surprised squawk of pain. ‘What the fucking hell?’

‘You are in bad shape, Malcolm.’ Sam told him off. ‘What’s tipped you over this time?’

‘None of your business.’ Malcolm struggled to sit up, feet on the floor and his hands rubbing his bloodshot eyes. 

‘When you get so drunk that you pass out in the office for me to walk in on you, it makes it my business.’ Sam pointed out to him. ‘What happened last night?’

‘I get enough of your fucking bollocking. Don’t need more.’

‘Her again then?’

‘Yes.’ Malcolm mumbled. ‘You could fucking use her name.’

‘You know my thoughts on her.’

‘Gigi isn’t that bad.’ Malcolm defended his lover but it was only half-hearted. 

‘She is vile and entirely the wrong person for you.’ Sam said once again. ‘She’s a drug addict that is using you for your money. You can do a lot better than her.’ 

‘Yeah, well, you’re already fucking taken, aren’t you?’ Malcolm snapped and then buried his face in his hands again at the far too honest admission. ‘Get the fuck out of my office.’

Sam shook her head at Malcolm in despair and left his office.


	4. Chapter 4

Later that afternoon, after a good amount of coffee and peace, Malcolm had managed to get caught up on his work and was close to finishing up when Sam came to his office door. ‘Malcolm? Your lady is on line 2. You want to talk to her?’

Malcolm sighed, ‘You’re giving me that fucking look again, Sam.’ 

‘You know why,’ Sam said. ‘Am I telling her you’ll call her back?’

‘No, I’ll take it.’ Malcolm took off his glasses and grabbed the phone with just a last glance of Sam’s back as she returned to her own desk. Another sigh and he answered the phone. ‘Gigi?’

‘Malcolm! Lover man!’ Her voice had its usual effect on Malcolm and he was already starting to lose the edge of his anger against her. ‘I hope you’re not working late again tonight.’

‘No, finishing up on time today. Gigi, we need to talk..’ Malcolm started but a purring tone from her rattled him.

‘Malcolm, not on the phone. I’ll make reservations for us at our favourite restaurant. I missed spending the night with you last night. You really shouldn’t have stayed at the office. The couch there really isn’t comfortable.’

‘You know why I stayed here last night.’

‘Silly, I was at Louisa’s last night.’

‘And you know my thoughts on Louisa,’ Malcolm grumbled. ‘Look, how about we just have dinner in and we can talk about things. You know, us.’ 

‘Oh Malcolm. Don’t worry. It was just a ladies night out for me. I’ll make it up to you tonight.’ Gigi was still purring on the phone and not letting Malcolm think clearly. ‘I’ll see you at the restaurant at 5:30. Make sure you shave for me. I want you very, very kissable.’

Malcolm groaned at the dial tone on the phone as she hung up right after her ‘request’. Hanging up, he looked at the clock and sank back in his chair. He had an hour to clean up and meet her at their regular restaurant. Her favourite. Not his. Fucking hell, he thought and rubbed at his chin. The stubble was rough and he went rummaging in his desk drawers to find his shaver. Not finding it he shouted for Sam. ‘Where’s my fucking shaver!’

Sam came to his office door, arms crossed and giving him her best withering look. ‘Malcolm, you know exactly where your shaver is. It’s in my desk because you keep throwing it in your desk drawer and breaking it. Do you want to talk about this at all Malcolm?’

‘No, I don’t want to fucking talk to you about it!’ Malcolm snapped. ‘Can you just get me the fucking shaver. Please.’ 

‘Malcolm, this isn’t good. Your all-nighters are getting more frequent. It’s not good for you.’

‘Yeah, well, I plan on fucking talking to Gigi. Not you.’ 

‘Your lady,’ Sam started but Malcolm cut her off.

‘Her name is Gigi. At least use her fucking name.’

‘No, I won’t use the name of someone who is obviously using you for her own ends. You’re just a wallet for her drug habit. I know it. George knows it. The only one who is not seeing the truth, seems to be you, Malcolm,’ Sam was blunt.

‘I fucking know she uses drugs. She doesn’t use them at home. I’ve made that clear. And besides,’ Malcolm got up from his desk to go to the wardrobe he had in his office to find a change of clothes for his dinner. ‘It’s not your concern. Not everyone is going to have the perfect fucking life you’ve got with George.’

‘Well, you can certainly do a lot better than her.’

Malcolm grunted. ‘Can you get me the shaver, Sam?’ He changed the subject and Sam just gave an exasperated noise and left to fetch it for him.


	5. Chapter 5

Arriving at the restaurant, Malcolm spotted his lover at one of the back tables waiting for him. He approached with a grimace on his face. All he could think of was how beautiful she was, but at the same time so infuriating. He knew in his head that she had likely used drugs the night before when she had gone to her friend’s place. Gigi looked clean now. Never looked like she used, not around him. She was careful about that. Gigi stood up and was hugging him lightly with a kiss on his lips before he helped her to sit again at the table. He sat down across from her. Just looking at her in her tight fitting, low cut dress was starting to short circuit his brain. 

‘Did you get your work done yesterday, lover man?’ 

‘Yeah, got it fucking done. At least the first part. Two more parts to get through and off to the editor for his review. Would have been better if I’d been able to go home and get proper sleep.’ Malcolm’s tone was almost a snarl. ‘How was your night with the girls?’

‘We had a great night. Lots of dancing at the club. Wish you’d be more up to dancing.’

‘Dancing..’ Malcolm muttered. ‘You’re the one who likes your ‘dancing’.’ 

‘Don’t be like that,’ Gigi tutted. 

Malcolm sighed. ‘What do you expect, Gigi? Fuck me, lass. You don’t need that shit.’

‘You make it sound like I was doing something else. I was dancing and drinking a bit.’ 

‘That was all?’ Malcolm shot a look at her, as if not believing her. 

Her hand rested on his, stroking his long fingers with hers. ‘Malcolm, I told you. Why don’t you believe me?’

‘You’ve lied to me before,’ Malcolm reminded her. 

‘Oh, Malcolm. Those days are behind us.’ Her hand squeezed his as she pouted a little. ‘You really need to move on from that. I have.’

‘I can’t help it, lass. When you run off like you do like that, it reminds me of before.’

‘And I told you that I was done with that, lover man,’ Gigi smiled charmingly at him, her fingers twining with Malcolm’s to lift them to her mouth and kiss them softly. Malcolm had to fight back a groan but it didn’t help other parts of him reacting to her touch. ‘Let’s just have a nice dinner, some wine and then a nice evening at home.’

‘I really could use a nice evening at home, lass,’ Malcolm admitted, softening under her gaze and her voice. He ran his thumb over her hand. ‘The deadline for the edits are coming up.’

‘I told you to not agree to such a quick turnaround for your next volume,’ Gigi chided him softly. ‘We’ll go home and I’ll take good care of you and help you with some of your stress.’

‘I could use that,’ Malcolm smiled at his lover. ‘Just, please, don’t run off on me like that again? Okay, lass?’

‘Of course, Malcolm. I’m sorry.’

Throughout their dinner, Malcolm could hardly take his eyes off his lover. She had slipped a shoe off under the table and was running her foot up and down his leg to drive him absolutely crazy. As their dessert got served her foot was straying up between his legs. He had to swallow hard to try and stay composed. 

Standing up, Malcolm had to quickly button up his jacket to hide the bulging in his trousers. Gigi was able to catch one quick glimpse before it was hidden and she was at his side, arm slipping in his as the two of them left the restaurant. In the cab, Gigi kept up her teasing with her hand on his thigh to just lightly rub against him. Malcolm laid his hand on hers to get her to stop before he popped a blood vessel before he could get her home. He leaned close to her ear, ‘Stop that, lass. Wait till we get home.’

‘Lover man, I can’t keep my hands off you,’ Gigi responded in a seductive tone. 

‘Almost home, lass.’

Malcolm escorted Gigi from the cab up to the door of his home and unlocked it. Holding it open for her, he followed her inside, unable to keep his eyes off her backside. ‘Lass, what am I going to do with you?’ 

Gigi turned to face Malcolm, easily slipping her heels off and standing in front of him. With her hands on his chest, she leaned close to kiss his lips softly. ‘I know what I’d like you to do with me.’ Her fingers began to tease his tie free. ‘And what I’d like to do with you.’ 

‘Fuck me,’ Malcolm groaned as he took hold of Gigi’s face with his hands, cupping her lightly as he kissed her with a quickly growing passion. Gigi responded by loosening his tie completely and sliding it off to let it fall to the floor. 

‘Thought you’d never ask.’ She teased as she ran her finger tip over his lips.

Malcolm took hold of her finger and grinned. ‘Wasn’t asking, lass.’ 

‘Mmm, going all dominant on me are you?’ 

‘Maybe I am.’ His hand slipped to the back of her head, holding her still as he kissed her harder. ‘Wanted you bad last night.’ Malcolm growled.


	6. Chapter 6

‘Good morning, Malcolm.’ Sam arrived at the office weeks later. 

‘Morning, Sam.’ Malcolm was already at his desk, peering at his computer screen. ‘I’ve got the draft back from my publisher. I’m just working through the recommendations now. There were some messages on the phone but I didn’t listen to them. Can you?’

‘Of course, Malcolm. Were there many notes?’

‘The cunts have over 100 notes for me to get through. So far, only 2 have been about content. All about fucking grammar.’

Sam tried not to laugh out loud and went to her own desk to go through the messages. Most were for invitations to signings or parties which she made notes of on his calendar for him to either tick off as a yes or a no. Then came a message left by Gigi. Having to listen to her over the top seductive murmuring made Sam feel like throwing up. The woman was so obviously using Malcolm for his money and the sex that even George realized it. Malcolm refused to believe it though. 

With a sigh, she noted down Gigi’s reminder of their lunch date and her request for some cash and headed into Malcolm’s office. ‘I’ve updated your calendar. Not many events requests. One from her. You’ve got lunch with her today and she wants you to remember to bring her 150 quid.’

‘Thanks, Sam.’

‘When are you going to see her for what she is?’

‘I see her for what she is, Sam. The woman I love.’

‘Love?’ Sam scoffed at him. ‘Love is not being a sex toy and a wallet for someone else.’

‘SAM!’ Malcolm barked at her. ‘That’s uncalled for.’

‘That’s the truth.’ Sam crossed her arms and just stared him down. ‘I know you, Malcolm. You may be able to bollock and bully others, but you’re not going to do that to me. I’m your friend and a friend tells their friends’ the truth. You don’t like the truth but I’m telling it to you anyway.’

Malcolm felt the wind get knocked out of him and just slumped back in his chair. ‘I do love her.’

‘It’s not returned on her part,’ Sam told him pointedly.

‘How would you know? You’re not around when we’re..’ He blushed.

‘I’ve never once heard her say she loves you. That’s all I need to know she doesn’t love you.’

‘I have work to do, Sam.’ Malcolm shut down the conversation.


	7. Chapter 7

Two weeks later Malcolm left his publisher’s office earlier than he had expected. Everything was wrapped up on his next volume of memoirs and would go to print in the next month. He would follow up with a press release once they had the specific date of launch. Sam wasn’t expecting him at the office, so he decided to go right home. 

As he got to the house, Malcolm saw a beat up car parked out the front and could only groan. The only one who drove a car like that that he knew of was Louisa. The woman spent everything she had on drugs not on on the upkeep of her car. He’d thought of calling the police on her at times just for a bit of payback as he was almost 100% sure that she couldn’t bother to keep her MOT or insurance up to date. He didn’t bother though. He knew that Gigi would figure out that it was him that called the police and would only give him constant grief over it until he had paid her 4 times more than any fine would have been that would just go on more drugs. Easier to just leave it be and give his woman the money she asked for normally.

With a sigh, he schooled his features and let himself in. What greeted him instead was the three women in the front room. Louisa was sprawled on the armchair as Gigi lounged on the couch, her favourite spot. Diane was on the floor, legs curled under herself as she carefully used a bank card to line up cocaine ready to be snorted.

‘Fucking hell! Gigi! You fucking cunts get that shit out of my fucking house right fucking now!’ 

‘Chill the fuck out, Malcy.’ Louisa drawled with a lazy wave of her hand. 

‘You’re fucking higher than a fucking kite you stupid cunt. You either clean this shit up right now or I will and it will be flushed down my fucking lav! Gigi! Wake the fuck up!’

‘Malcolm?’ Gigi woke up from her drug-induced stupor but only barely. ‘Home early.’ 

‘Yeah I’m fucking home early and I’m finding you and your cunt friends higher than high in my front room. Where you fucking aren’t supposed to fucking be!’ 

‘Mmm sorry lover man. Louisa, clean up.’

‘I’m not done yet.’ Her friend pouted, uncaring about Malcolm’s presence in her current state. 

‘You are fucking done, darling. More done than you can ever imagine if you don’t fucking get rid of those drugs now and get the fuck out of my house!’ 

Gigi got up unsteadily and stood in front of Malcolm, her hand on his cheek to stroke it lightly and what she imagined was seductively. ‘Leave her, lover man. Let’s go upstairs where you can really show me what you can do.’ She ran a single nailed finger over his lips, scratching him lightly.

Malcolm, too incensed for once to not be taken in by her seduction, grabbed hold of her hand tightly, ‘No! I’m not going to fuck you when you’re this fucking high. You’ll be fucking lucky if I consider fucking you ever again after this bullshit move today.’

Gigi pouted at his anger. ‘Malcolm, don’t be so upset. We were just enjoying ourselves.’

Malcolm pushed his lover back onto the couch roughly, getting a little giggle from her. He turned to where Louisa was carefully lining up another line of cocaine on the coffee table. ‘E-fucking-nough. Get out now!’ 

‘C’mon, let me just finish this..’ Louisa whined and was about to start snorting the line of cocaine, but Malcolm, at his final straw, knocked the curled up pound note from Louisa’s hand. The quick move got the pound note and the cocaine flying. Louisa screeched loudly and Diane roused from her drugged stupor slightly. 

‘Get the fucking out of my house! Both of you!’

‘Malcolm, stop that!’ Gigi made a grab for his arm to stop him getting closer to her friends. 

Malcolm snapped suddenly. ‘Fucking stop!’ He shrugged his arm away from her and then turned on her, pushing her hard enough to send her back onto the couch. Gigi, not expecting his anger to flash in a physical manner, squeaked in surprise. It was enough to get Malcolm to come to his senses. ‘Out,’ he said. ‘Just get out. Now.’ He reached into his pocket and pulled out a few notes. ‘Get in a cab and go. Don’t come back. Ever.’

Louisa, her cocaine gone, snatched the money from Malcolm’s hand and got her friend onto her feet. ‘Gigi?’ 

‘I’ll be fine, Louisa, I’ll call you tomorrow.’

The two women, both still high, stumbled from the house to leave Gigi and Malcolm alone.

‘Malcolm?’ Gigi got to her feet and slipped her arm around his. 

Malcolm was defeated. He didn’t have any energy to fight anymore. He wasn’t a violent man. He had only ever used his voice, his tone, his words to get things done. He always had other ways to get things done. The look and sound of Gigi being knocked back by his own hand had shocked himself as well. More than it had shocked Gigi.

‘Don’t touch me,’ Malcolm said as he shrugged her off. ‘Just.. get out of my sight.’

‘Malcolm, I’m sorry.’ 

‘Just go.’ Malcolm turned away from her and went to kitchen. He felt her hand on his shoulder, but again, he shrugged her off.

Gigi, not understanding really in her drugged state, just shrugged and headed up the stairs to the bedroom. She imagined that he would come upstairs later. If he were this worked up, she thought, she could expect some wild sex later.

Alone, Malcolm opened the fridge door and got a drink. He returned to the front room and slumped onto the couch. The cocaine had landed in a small patch of dusting on the rug. He rubbed at his face with his hand, only then realizing he was shaking. 

‘How could you?’ He spoke softly to himself. ’I trusted you and this is what you do? You couldn’t have just left it. Things had been going so well.’ He sighed and took a long drink of his beer. 

Hours later, Malcolm woke up with a sore neck from passing out on his couch. His sleep had been broken by dreams.. or nightmares.. of the times when Sam had told him off about his relationship with Gigi. How bad it was. How dangerous it is to be associated with someone who was a drug addict. But the sex up till that moment had been worth it. Now though, the trust he had given her, was broken. 

Malcolm felt like a fool that he had never listened to Sam. Fucking hell, he thought to himself, even George had been smarter than he had been about Gigi. George of all fucking people.

With his mind made up to end this disastrous affair, he got up, picking up the fallen beer bottle to throw it out. In the closet, he grabbed his luggage and took it up the stairs to the bedroom. Gigi was sprawled on the bed, naked. She had stripped thinking that Malcolm would join her in the bed, but he never did. She had fallen asleep instead. Not caring if he woke her up, he began to pack up clothes to do him a few weeks away. He was debating about going north to Scotland or to the continent. He decided to go to Scotland where he had grown up. He needed to recharge properly and that seemed the best option. 

‘Malcolm?’ Gigi wok up. ‘What are you doing?’ 

‘I’m going away for a few weeks. I need to be alone.’

‘Why? I know you're mad.’

‘Mad? No. That was last night.’

‘What?’ She sat up, pulling one of the blankets around her, figuring out that this wasn't a moment when sex would happen.

‘Not mad anymore. Just done,’ Malcolm said flatly. He threw in a few more shirts and slammed the luggage closed. ‘I want you out when I get back. Two weeks. Find a place to go and move out.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous, Malcolm.’

‘Not being ridiculous.’ Malcolm set the luggage on the floor. ‘We're done. I’m not going to put up with your drug addiction anymore. You broke my trust.’

‘I’m sorry, Malcolm. I got carried away.’ Gigi got up, blanket clutched around her. She rested a hand on his arm. All he did was look at it, then back at her, his gaze devoid of emotion. 

‘Be out in two weeks. I want you and your things out of my house by then. There should be more than enough cash on hand to settle any costs you incur in moving out.’

‘Look, Malcolm, take a vacation and come back. We’ll talk then.’

‘No.’

‘I’ll go into rehab. I’ll get sober.’

‘You won’t.’

‘Have faith in me, Malcolm.’

‘I did. Before. You broke that last night.’ He gripped his luggage handle. ‘Two weeks, Gigi. Be out.’

‘Where are you going?’

‘Where you aren’t going to be. Ever.’ 

‘Don’t let it end this way, lover man.’

‘You should have thought about that before you brought your addiction and your friends into my home.’ Malcolm carried his luggage down the stairs, followed by Gigi.

She was realizing that she was on the verge of losing her open bank. ‘We’ll talk when you get back. Malcolm, I love you.’

‘Two weeks. Be gone.’ Malcolm repeated. ‘Goodbye, Gigi. I never want to see you again.’

He didn’t react to her calling voice as he left the house and headed down the road to the Underground station. He stood and waited for a train, his mobile in his hand with Sam’s number ready to be dialed. He should call her. At least leave her a message. Sam had always been there to help him. She was the only constant in his life for so long. Always there to help him and support him. He couldn’t face her though. He should have listened to her. He hadn’t. He would have to apologize, but today wasn’t the day. He had to come to terms with everything that had happened since he had met Gigi. 

The train entered the station and Malcolm powered off his phone instead of calling Sam. She would understand, he knew that.


	8. Part 2 — Forgotten

Malcolm had remained silent as he rode on the train from London up to Glasgow. It wasn’t until he arrived in Glasgow that he realized he had left his ID and bank cards back at his home. It didn’t bother him much though. He had enough cash on him to last him for the two weeks he had decided to take to be on his own and think things through. The last thing he wanted was Sam being able to track him down in a panic. Standing on the curb side in front of the train station, Malcolm scratched at his chin where the stubble was growing in again. Good, he thought to himself. All of his public pictures were with him clean-shaven. A beard would help him melt away into the background. 

A cab pulled up and Malcolm threw his small travel bag into the back and sat inside. ‘You know where Balquhidder is?’

‘Aye.’

‘Take me there.’ Malcolm pulled out some money and handed it over. ‘You get the rest when we get there. Don’t bother chatting. Not interested, mate.’ Crossing his arms over his chest, Malcolm sat back and stared out the window.

Balquhidder. He hadn’t been there since he was a lad. His father had insisted on a yearly hiking trip for the two of them. It’s not that he liked hiking at all, Malcolm admitted to himself, but what he had learned was that the highlands were a place to let everything go and just clear your head. That’s what he needed right now. A clear head. 

Arriving in the town, Malcolm had the driver drop him off on the high street. Well, what passed for a high street in Balquhidder. He knew there were a few small bed and breakfasts that were likely to be mostly empty in the off-season. It was too wet to really attract lots of people so it was no surprise when he walked up to the first one and was able to book a room for a full two weeks, cash up front with breakfasts included. 

‘ID?”

Malcolm shook his head. ‘I’m paying cash. What more do you need?’

‘At least a name.’ The owner asked, tapping his check in book.

‘Logan McNairn.’ Malcolm tossed out a fake name. First name that came to mind without thinking and his mother’s maiden name. That would do the trick, he thought. 

The owner nodded, wrote down his name and turned it round for Malcolm to sign beside it. 

Malcolm soon sat on the small bed in the small room. A small sink and wardrobe was about all that there was in the room aside from the bed. It would do him. He didn’t really expect to spend much time in the room anyway. Leaving his bag in the room, Malcolm went out and was soon walking along the high street until he came to a small hiking shop. It was quiet, just like most of the town, and the prices of the gear were on the steep side, but he didn’t care about that. 

Malcolm, a scowl almost permanently on his face, had soon bought a thick sweater, hiking jacket, boots, some good thick socks and a walking stick. After his shopping was done, Malcolm made his way to the only pub, sat at the bar and ordered a quick sandwich with chips. Even the barmaid left him be to his own thoughts. Which was a welcome relief for Malcolm. 

No public hounding him. No Sam to nag him. No drama from Gigi. Just him and his thoughts. That’s what he was looking for and what he needed.

Over the next two days, Malcolm settled into a routine of waking up, having breakfast, getting dressed and heading off onto one of the local hiking trails for long walks. The weather was gloomy and grey, matching his mood. In the evenings, he would sit at the village’s only pub to have some dinner. The second night, he sat there with a glass of scotch.

‘Hello there, stranger.’ A tall, leggy dark haired lady approached him at the bar where Malcolm sat. ‘New in town are you?’

‘Visiting,’ Malcolm said gruffly without looking at her.

‘Not often we see visitors this time of year. Looking for something in particular?’

Malcolm emptied the rest of his glass of scotch and set it down before turning to look at the woman. Dye her hair, he thought, and she could be Gigi. He sniffed and stood up. ‘Not for you.’ Leaving the woman bemused at the bar, Malcolm left the bar and went to his room. 

He lay in bed, naked under the sheets. The woman at the bar had dredged up a flurry of emotions in his head and his heart. Only now, laying there in the dark and not able to sleep, did he regret not talking to her properly. ‘Probably just wanted to fuck.’ Malcolm muttered aloud to himself. ‘Not what you’re looking for is it?’ He covered his eyes with his hands, ‘Fuck me. Why’m I such a fucking shit of a mess?’

* * *  
The next morning, after a restless night, Malcolm got up and washed his face in the small sink. What had been stubble the day before was longer and thicker. It would only be a matter of a few days and he’d likely have a full beard to cover his face. Pulling on a shirt and then a thick sweater, he left his room and went to the small, empty dining room. There he was quickly served a full breakfast that he slowly and steadily cleared his plate of. After draining the last dregs of his second cup of coffee, he got up with a silent nod to the hostess. 

Stepping outside, Malcolm looked sourly at the cloud covered sky. It was another gloomy day that looked like it was going to rain any minute. Typical fucking weather, he thought. Walking down the high street, he made his way to a local cafe and ordered two sandwiches to go and got himself some bottles of water. With those in his pack, Malcolm strode quickly along the high street to the edge of the small village. Just as he had with his father years ago, he found the starting point of one of the public paths that wound through the hills and valleys that surrounded the village. He was surrounded quickly by the rough woods that covered the lower parts of the valley. The path had been used by people over many years and, while rough, wasn’t impassable. 

He took his time as he walked, minding the rough ground and ducking some of the lower hanging branches. Malcolm had to pay closer attention to where he was walking through the woods, but he made it through them to the hillside. Past the tree line, Malcolm’s stride got long again. Long enough to eat up the distance towards the hilltop. He had decided to make his way to Creag an Tuirc. This time of year it would be deserted and a good place to sit and think for him. 

Malcolm was a bit out of shape from years writing his books and not chasing after fuckwitted ministers. It took the wind out of him getting all the way up to the top. With a weary sigh, he sat down on one of the rocks. Hands on his knees, Malcolm sat forward to gaze out over the valley and the village below. 

When he had come here with his father in the years past, it had been to get away from the city and just be the ‘lads’. It was here that his father had had the talks that a father always does with his son. In his own quaint way, Malcolm laughed softly at the memories. Watching his father out of the corner of his eye as the old man had looked out over the valley and tried to talk to him about women. The slight redness of embarrassment as Malcolm had asked him questions out of curiosity at the time. 

‘Treat tha ladies wit respect, lad.’ His father had said often. ‘They deserve it. Ye respect tha ladies they’ll see ye through to yer dying days.’

‘Like ma and ye?’ Malcolm had asked him and then winced as the old man cuffed him one in the ears.

‘I’m yer father, ye don’t talk ta me that way, lad.’

‘Sorry, da’

Not many people kept Malcolm on his toes, but his parents had. When his mother had passed, it had killed his father quickly afterwards. That had been their love for one another. He had hated his father for a time. Hating that the man had abandoned him in his own grief for his mother, Malcolm hadn’t grieved immediately for his father. It had been months later, once the old home had been sold off and he’d been cleaning up the contents for sale and storage that he’d found the letters they had written to one another during their courtship. 

‘Why couldn’t I have found a lady like ma?’ Malcolm muttered aloud. ‘No, no lady like ma for me. Just a drug addicted, sex crazed woman who only wanted me for my wallet and my cock.’

A cold, drizzle began. Malcolm could only sigh aloud. There was no cover up here so he could only sit and accept that he would get damp. ‘Fucking perfect.’


	9. Chapter 9

The days passed for Malcolm. Every day was the same. He would wake up, have breakfast, stop at the cafe and get sandwiches to go and then head out onto one of the paths. He wouldn’t get back until after dark, stopping at the only pub for a quick dinner and then heading to his room. 

After five days of this pattern, Malcolm’s hair had grown out a bit and so had his beard. It was looking shaggy, but he couldn’t be bothered to buy trimmers to tidy it up. 

Malcolm was able to walk further and further every day. He found some of the old paths he and his father had used often to go up to the other hilltops. There were still flocks of sheep tended by the local farmers. Some of the hillside cottages were the same as before, but a few of them that he passed by had been abandoned since his childhood. Dilapidated and boarded up, he explored a few of them to find nothing except litter and graffiti. 

‘Even out here in the fucking highlands. Fucking cunts.’ He kicked at a crisp packet in disgust. Turning, Malcolm left the abandoned cottage and continued up the path to the hilltop. It wasn’t as gloomy that day and he had a view of the entire valley. Making it to the top, he found a rock that was flat enough to sit on. With his walking stick leaning on the rock beside him, he unwrapped one of his sandwiches and ate it. His eyes wandered over the valley, idly noting the cottages he had already passed and the ones he had visited. 

One of the shepherd's had gotten to know him and nodded silently every time Malcolm passed by him. They never spoke though. The shepherd was a private man and Malcolm wasn’t a gossip so there was no need to exchange pleasantries at all. There had been other cottagers he had passed on his walks that had said hi to him. He had been polite, but they were all used to silent walkers lost in their own thoughts.

Carefully, Malcolm folded up the sandwich wrapper and tucked it into his pack. Others may litter, but he wasn’t going to be one of them. 

He wasn’t winded any more by the time he got to the hilltops. Not that getting fit had been the point of his walks. It was good to clear his head as he walked. Sitting in the peace of the hills was where he did his thinking. Malcolm hadn’t really expected to wind up thinking so much about his parents. Then again, the more he tried to reconcile his rocky times with Gigi, it became obvious that what his parents had shared was nowhere near what he had hoped to find for himself. Not with Gigi. Not fucking ever at this point, he realized. He’d spent too many years at Number 10 on his own, giving his life to the government. Then he’d spent too many years hoping to create the same life his parent’s had had with Gigi. 

Bending down, Malcolm picked up a handful of small rocks. He moved them about in his large hand, feeling the cold stone against his skin. Picking one from the handful, Malcolm turned it about and then threw it into the sky to watch it fly, then land on the hillside and roll down slightly. 

One by one he threw the stones down the hill. It became a thought game for him.

The day after he had met Gigi, the sex had been so amazing, that they hadn’t left her hotel room till mid-afternoon and that had been only to eat. He’d never thought to find a partner like Gigi. She had professed to love him madly after only a two more dates. Another rock flew through the air to land with a clack on a large rock on the ground. After that, she had moved in to his place and then he found out about her drug habit.

The clack of another rock broke the silence. The rows they had had at first had shocked him in the aftermath of them. She would come home, high, and they would argue loudly. And every fucking time she would corner him in the bedroom and then they would fuck so hard and rough that he would forget all about her being high. Until afterwards. Then she would beg for his forgiveness, he would and then the cycle would repeat again and again and again. 

Malcolm threw the rest of the stones in his hand in rapid fire succession until he had no more to throw. 

‘Fuck you, you bitch.’ Malcolm growled out loud. ‘Fuck you and fuck your drug habit and fuck your friends.’ His shoulders sagged suddenly, exhausted from the emotional outburst. As he sat there, birds calling as they flew by, the clouds had built up again and before long the Scottish drizzle had started up again, dripping down his hair and under his collar. He wiped a hand over his face to clear the rainwater from it if only for a moment. ‘Fucking figures.’

He grabbed his walking stick and got up. It suddenly seemed pointless to sit there in the rain, getting soaked through. Just to make himself feel even more fucking miserable than he had before. Fucking tired of this fucking weather and tired of fucking thinking about the fucking cunt of a girlfriend that wasn’t his fucking girlfriend anymore. Malcolm stood up and looked up into the clouds, blinking away the rain furiously. ‘Fuck you, you fucking shitty weather!’ He shook a fist at the sky. ‘I’m going to the fucking pub and get fucking plastered!’

Uncaring that the rain was getting harder, Malcolm strode on over the rough path to head back towards the village. He had to fucking pick today to go the furthest lookout point, he thought to himself. It was also the one path that went up and down over at least three of the larger hills. As he walked, the path got steeper and slicker. What was normally a well trodden dirt path, was turning into a slide of mud. Malcolm, having walked these paths in the past, knew well enough to walk to the sides of the path where there would be grass that would act as a tread. 

Malcolm navigated one hill expertly and was on his way down the second one. Halfway down the hill was one of the occupied cottages. He thought about knocking on the door and seeing if he could shelter for a while, dry off and wait for the rain to ease or pass. Fuck it, he thought. He was already drenched. He couldn’t get wetter. All he wanted to do was get to his room, strip naked and collapse in his bed. Maybe, he thought, maybe it was time to go back to reality and his life in London. 

A badger scampered suddenly out of a thick brush in front of Malcolm. ‘What the fuck!’ Startled, Malcolm took his eyes off where he had been walking to keep out of the worst of the mud and his next step was right on a slick patch. ‘FUCK!’ His foot slid out from under him. Next he knew, he landed hard on his backside and felt himself sliding down the steep path cum mudslide. His walking stick flew from his grasp and into the grass on the side of the path. He flailed out his hands to try and stop his wild and muddy slide down the hillside. He wasn’t able to halt his progress until he came to a line of wild hedge that he was able to catch and stop himself. Groaning in pain, Malcolm had to catch his breath before trying to stand up. He was covered in mud, hands scratched up from trying to stop himself on grass and brush. ‘Fucking hell!’ He grunted and then tried to get to his feet. Standing, he looked around for his walking stick. He spotted it and stumbled unsteadily to reach for it. 

It was that grab that undid him. He stepped closer to reach it and his foot connected with a loose rock. Once he leaned forward it caused the rock to come free. ‘Shit!’ His feet slid out from under him again, but instead of just sliding down the hill further, he pitched forward towards the ground. The loose rock had only been one in a row of rocks that had been chucked to the side of the path out of the way of other walkers. It was one of those other rocks that Malcolm landed hard on. He had tried to stop himself with his hands, but they were muddy and bloody, unable to hang on to anything at all. Instead, they slipped away from the wet rocks. He tried to turn in that one moment, but it was too late. His head connected with the wet rock, cracking his temple. A flash of light exploded in his eyes and then his world went dark.


	10. Part 3 — Found

‘Sir? Sir!’ 

His eyes cracked open. ‘Huh?’

‘You slipped last night. In the rain.’

He tried to move but the stranger stopped him. ‘Hang on there, sir. Let me just check and make sure you don’t have any broken bones.’

‘Who?’ He blinked a few times. His wits were scrambled and he felt like there was something missing.

‘I’m Adaline. Adaline Atwood. No, stay still, sir. You’re not the first one I’ve dealt with after a fall on the hills.’ Her hands were firm enough to tell him to stay still for her. Adaline knelt beside him cautiously checking his limbs for any serious breaks. ‘You’ve had a bad knock on your temple, sir. My cottage is just around the bend of the hill here. Let’s try to get you there and see about cleaning you up a bit.’

‘Adaline?’ He repeated her name, liking how it sounded. 

‘You’ll have to give me a hand here, sir. You’re a bit bigger than I am.’ Adaline took hold of his hand and arm to help leverage him to his feet. ‘You are all covered in mud.’

‘Sorry. Fell.’ He groaned in pain as he took a step forward. 

‘Your ankle twisted?’

‘Yeah.’ 

‘Lean on me then. We’ll get you to my place and cleaned up. Then we’ll get your boots off and have a look at that too.’

He stumbled the first few steps at her side until Adaline got him to hook an arm over her shoulders to steady him for the walk. ‘Getting you muddy too.’

‘Easy enough to wash clothes, sir. Let’s just get you dried and cleaned up.’ 

Adaline took it slowly to lead the tall man down the path. Around the bend of the hill the path split off one way downwards to the village and the other to her cottage. The path to her cottage was flat rather than the steep path down so it was easier to navigate. ‘There we go, almost home.’

‘Home,’ he repeated. ‘Cozy looking.’

‘I try to keep it warm and ready. You never know who’ll turn up here in the hills.’

‘Folks just falling over themselves to get here,’ he said with a pained smile. The smile creased his forehead and caused the cut on his temple to stretch and hurt.

Adaline laughed softly. ‘Not everyone falls on me. In fact, I don’t recommend it. The hills can be dangerous if you’re not careful.’

‘I know that now.’ His large hand went to his temple to touch the swelling. ‘Glad you’re here.’

‘Don’t you worry, sir. You’ll be fine now.’

They made the rest of the way to Adaline’s cottage in silence. She helped him up the few steps and onto a bench under the covered porch. He bent to help take off his boots, but his hands were too sore and his back was stiff as well. ‘Just sit and let me get these off. We’ll look at your ankles here first.’ He grunted in pain as Adaline worked his boots off. It was his right ankle that hurt and it was obviously already swelling once the boot was off. The wet sock came off with a sigh. Her hands were gentle as they tested to see if there was anything more than a sprain. ‘I don’t think it’s broken, sir.’

‘Why d’you keep calling me sir?’ he asked.

‘Because I don’t know your name, sir.’ Adaline smiled up at him.

He furrowed his brows, ‘I’m..’ He stopped and thought hard. ‘I’m..’ He lifted his hand to his forehead, trying to think hard. ‘I don’t know my name.’

‘You’ve had a bad knock to your head. It’ll come to you.’ Adaline finished taking his other boot and sock off. ‘Left ankle is fine. I’ll just run in and get some slippers that should fit your big feet and then we’ll get you inside to get the rest of you cleaned up.’

‘I should know who I am,’ he muttered as she disappeared into the cottage. 

Adaline came out a few moments later with a pair of slippers in her hands. ‘Luck you, my father had feet as large as yours.’

‘Your father?’

‘Oh, yes. My father. He passed away years ago. I kept some of his things to keep them handy for visitors. Most men don’t take kindly to stretch crocheted slippers, so these work out well for the sensitive ones.’ She knelt down and got the slippers on his feet. ‘I don’t have a bandage to wrap around your ankle I’m afraid. I’ll have to get one from the chemist later when I go down to the village.’

‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘I owe you for your help.’

‘Don’t you worry about that, sir. First we have to get you up and walking again.’ Adaline helped him to his feet and into the house. There she had a fire quickly going in the fireplace and he was settled into a rocking chair in front of it. ‘There’s nothing for it, but you’ll have to get out of those clothes. I’ve got a warm blanket I can give you to use in the meantime. Can you manage on your own, sir?’

‘Should do.’ He was left on his own to slowly undress out of his muddy clothes. His boxers were clean enough, so he left them on, but everything else had been drenched and soiled. He pulled the large warm blanket around him and sat back down. ‘Adaline?’

‘All set?’ She called out from the kitchen. ‘Here we go. I made you a cuppa. You look like a milk only fellow. Did I get it right?’

‘Yeah.’ He took the warm cup from her and cradled it in his hands. He really didn’t know if he was a milk only tea drinker. He sipped it and decided he was. ‘Thank you.’

‘Still no memory of your name?’ Adaline asked.

‘No,’ he shook his head, rubbing at his forehead a bit. ‘Hate it.’

‘Let’s have a look in your pockets then.’ She collected up his dirty clothes and rummaged through the pockets. There was little in them. She set the money on the side table, the key to his room and then his wallet. There was nothing to identify him in it. ‘That’s odd. Nothing with your name.’

‘Nothing?’ He blinked in wonder. 

‘Nothing at all.’ She held it open for him. 

‘I don’t know,’ he shrugged helplessly. ‘I can’t remember.’

‘Well, we can always check at the bed and breakfast you were staying at. This is for the Craghmor?’

‘Yeah. I was staying there.’ He knew that for sure.

‘You’ll have your name there and then we can get you back to your family.’

‘No!’ He said suddenly, surprising himself.

‘Surely you’d like to get back to your family?’ Adaline asked, taken aback at the force of his words.

‘No, no family. I just know I don’t want them to know where I am.’

‘Well, you’re not the first one to come to the hills to escape.’ Adaline laid a hand on his shoulder. ‘When you’re ready and you remember. For now, I’ll get these cleaned for you and get you some warm water to wash in.’

He was left on his own to stare at the fire and sip his tea as Adaline disappeared once more. This time he could hear her in the other room washing up his clothes. He shivered a few times until the fire had warmed him right through. It was so effective that he had begun to doze off when she returned. She carried his damp clothes in one arm and a drying rack in the other. Unfolding it with ease, he watched as Adaline soon had his clothes spread out on the rack to dry in front of the fire.

‘There we go. They’ll take some time to dry off there, so I’ll go down to the village and have a word with the chemist. I’ll see about dropping in on the doctor too. If he’s available I’ll see if he can come by and have a look at your ankle and that lump on your head.’

‘You don’t have to do that, Adaline.’ He tried to get up but his ankle was too sore.

‘I’d feel better if a doctor had a look at your ankle properly, sir.’

He sighed, giving in between the look Adaline gave him and the pain in his ankle. ‘Take the money to cover any costs. If it’s not enough, go to my room. There’s more there.’

‘I’ll get you receipts.’

‘Don’t need them.’ He waved it off. ‘Trust you.’

‘You don’t know me that well,’ Adaline pointed out.

‘You pick up unconscious strangers from the hillside, wash their clothes and give them tea. I trust you.’

‘I could turn out to be some crazy serial killer.’

‘Anything more than a lost wallet in Balquhidder would make national headlines, love.’ He chuckled.

‘True enough, true enough,’ she laughed. ‘Stay warm and I’ll get back as soon as I can, hopefully with the doctor.’

* * *  
‘Sir?’ Adaline returned two hours later to find him where she had left him, sitting in the chair in front of the fire, but nodded off. Gently, she shook him awake.

‘Huh? What?’ He rubbed at his eyes to wake up more. ‘Sorry. Couldn’t help it.’

‘Don’t be sorry,’ Adaline smiled. ‘I’ve got Doctor McLaren here.’

‘Hello there.’ The older gentleman smiled as he set his bag down on a side table. ‘I understand you had a fall on the hill?’

‘Yes. Fell on the hill in the rain yesterday.’ Malcolm lifted up his hands and the doctor was soon looking them over.

‘Nasty abrasions. Your nurse cleaned them out well. I’ve got some creams to put on them to help heal them. You shouldn’t wind up with any scars from them.’ The doctor pulled out the tube of cream and applied some for him. 

‘That feels wonderful,’ he said with a contented sigh. 

‘Now, let’s have a look at that ankle of yours.’ Doctor McLaren knelt down and, after poking, prodding and twisting the swollen joint he declared. ‘Sprained. Not broken. Rest it, elevate it and get the swelling down. You’ve got an icebox?’

‘I do. Small one.’ 

‘If you can get some ice on this, it will help him out. I’ve got some painkillers I’ll leave for you. If you can, stay off it as much as you can for the next week.’

‘A week?’ An expressive eyebrow shot up.

‘Unless you’d like to do permanent damage to the joint,’ the doctor responded flatly.

‘Fair enough.’

‘I can get the spare bed made up,’ Adaline offered easily.

‘Now, that lump on your temple is the most worrisome.’ The doctor stood and asked a series of questions to evaluate the extent of the memory loss. ‘Still no memory of your name?’

‘No.’

‘Where you’re from?’

‘London. Couldn’t tell you my address.’

‘You don’t have any identification with you,’ the doctor pointed out. ‘Why?’

‘Not sure. Just know I wanted to get away and forget about my life there.’

‘Well, you’ve managed that much better than you expected,’ doctor McLaren said. ‘The rest you’ll get keeping off your ankle should also help with your head there. I’ve no idea how long you’ll lose your memory for. You’re not experiencing headaches right now but keep an eye on that. If they get worse let me know as soon as possible. That swelling should ease off soon. Once you’re back on your feet, I’ll do another check up in my office. If it’s still bad then I’ll refer you to a specialist back in London near your home.’

‘Better hope my memory comes back then,’ he answered. Adaline looked at him with a questioning look. ‘Don’t know my address in London.’ 

Doctor McLaren was making notes in a book. ‘I need your name. I’m not going with John Doe.’

‘Logan McNairn,’ Adaline said quickly. ‘That’s the name you signed in at the bed and breakfast.’

‘Logan?’ He repeated the name to himself. ‘Logan it is then.’

‘Logan McNairn.’ The doctor wrote his name down. ‘Until we determine otherwise anyway.’

Adaline walked the doctor partway down the path away from her cottage. Doctor McLaren turned to her before they parted company. ‘Keep an eye on him. Encourage, but don’t push him to remember.’

‘How though? I’m more used to sprained ankles and skinned knees. This memory loss is new.’

‘Just ask him casual questions, see what happens. Now that I’ve had a look at the damage externally I’ll do some more research and let you know.’

She walked back to the cottage and found Logan still sitting there, lost in his own thoughts as he looked into the fire. ’You paid him well, I hope.’ 

‘He didn’t take any payment yet. Said you can square up with him when you walk into his office yourself.’


	11. Chapter 11

Logan found himself settling into Adaline’s routine. He was given the guest room to use while his ankle healed up. Adaline went back into the village and got his bag from the bed and breakfast. ‘Here,’ Logan found his wad of money in his bag and handed most of it over to her, but Adaline would not take it from him. ‘I owe you for your help.’

‘Don’t be daft, Logan. Just you work on getting better,’ Adaline smiled and handed him a cup of tea. ‘I was going to go out for a walk to get some fresh air.’

‘You go out every day, do you?’ He asked as he blew on his tea to cool it down.

‘Every day I can,’ Adaline pulled on her walking jacket. ‘It’s peaceful.’

‘Peaceful,’ Logan smiled. ‘It is. Wish I could go with you.’

‘Once your ankle is better, I’ll hold you to that as a promise.’

‘That sounds like a good deal.’ 

He sat in the chair, ankle bandaged and up on a small stool, and watched as Adaline left the cottage. Staring into the fireplace with it’s low fire, Logan was lost in his thoughts. His fingers clenched into frustrated fists of emotion. He was Logan, but it didn’t feel right. He knew that but it was the only identity he could cling to at the moment. A smile grew on his face, hidden by his now full beard, as he thought of Adaline. He thought himself a very lucky man to have been found by her and to be nursed by her. Thinking of her his fists relaxed and he sat back in the chair. Peace was exactly what he had been looking for out here, that much he could remember. He couldn’t remember what he needed peace from, but at least he remembered that. And he had found it, in a painful way to be honest to himself, but he had found it.

‘Logan?’ Adaline returned after an hour’s walk to find him asleep in his chair by the fire.

‘Huh?’ Logan woke up at the sound of her voice. ‘Hey. How was your walk?’

‘It was good. Got a good workout. It’s lovely outside. Just cool enough to make the walk comfortable. I found this by the path.’ She lifted up the walking stick that she had found on a lower part of the path. ‘Must have fallen further down when you slipped.’

Logan smiled wryly at the stick. ‘Not that it helped.’

‘You were up against a downhill slope that was a mudslide, no walking stick would have helped you really.’

‘You would have stayed on your feet I bet.’ 

‘I wouldn’t have been out that long in that weather,’ Adaline said and then quickly apologized. ‘Sorry, Logan, I didn’t mean anything by that.’

‘It’s a fair assessment of me being an idiot and I’m paying for it.’ He lifted his leg a bit before wincing and putting it back on the footstool. 

‘Well, you just keep off that ankle and let it heal properly. Would you like a tea?’

‘I’d love a tea,’ Logan smiled at her and felt his heart get just a little bit lighter when she smiled back at him. 

* * *  
It was four days later when the village doctor returned to the cottage to check up on Logan. ‘Any headaches at all?’

‘No, none.’

‘Memory loss?’

‘Still there,’ Logan replied with a sigh.

‘I don’t think you’ve got any lasting memory loss, but there’s no specific timeline as to when you’ll get it back or how. Keep trying to remember things and then you’ll probably find yourself regaining your memories with various triggers.’ The doctor knelt and, after some poking, prodding and flexing, deemed that Logan’s ankle was healing nicely. ‘Start walking about slowly and rest it when it gets sore. Use the bandage on it for a few more days for support. Oh, and no hiking yet. Stay in the cottage or just around it.’

‘Yes, sir.’ 

Adaline led the doctor out of the cottage and then returned to sit beside Logan in the other chair. ‘I guess you’ll be wanting to head back to the village as soon as you can?’

‘Am I that grumpy a guest?’ Logan’s expressive eyebrow shot up with curiosity. 

‘No, not at all,’ Adaline was quick to reassure him. ‘You’re welcome to stay as long as you need and want. I just thought you’d like to get back to your life in London.’

‘A life I can’t remember yet.’ Logan turned back to gaze into the fireplace with furrowed eyebrows. ‘This feels like a home for now. I feel like I belong here, but I won’t overstay my welcome. Don’t worry.’

‘Unless you get your memory back and turn into a totally different man then I can’t see you ever doing that.’ 

* * *  
Logan did as he was told to by the doctor, getting up and walking more at least about the cottage at first. While Adaline continued to spend her time with her usual chores and making him cups of tea and meals, the least he could do, was help her with cleaning up. 

Two days after the doctor had been by, Adaline had been starting to make them dinner when there was a call from the door. Adaline answered her neighbor’s call to give them a hand with their dog that had run off unexpectedly. ‘I shouldn’t be long, Logan.’ Adaline pulled on her boots and jacket. ‘It’s not the first time Rufus has run off.’

‘Not to worry,’ Logan shooed her out. ‘Go get Rufus for your neighbor and I’ll wait here.’ He limped to the door to stand and watch her head off into the dusk calling out for the runaway dog. Logan stuck his hands into his trouser pockets to stop him clenching his fists in frustration. That seemed to be his coping method of late. He tried to remember what he would do before his memory loss, but it escaped him still. Adaline’s voice faded in the distance as she called out to Rufus to entice him back towards his home. Logan sighed and headed back inside. 

On the kitchen counter the potatoes that Adaline had been peeling to make their dinner were sitting in a small pile. Logan shrugged and went over to the counter, picked up the knife and was soon peeling the last of them and setting them in the pot of water to boil. With the potatoes boiling, Logan turned his attention to the small cut of beef that Adaline had got for their dinner. Soon he had it cubed and frying up with some seasoning. He cut up some carrots and leeks that he found in her fridge and soon had them in the fry pan as well. Draining off the seasoned fat, he made up some beef gravy in a small pot. Turning the pan and gravy down to simmer, he drained the potatoes and, after adding some milk and butter, he mashed them up and then added a small amount of salt and pepper to season it. 

While he was focussed on getting the mashed potatoes just right Adaline returned to a wonderful smelling cottage. ‘Oh. That smells divine.’

‘Oh! Hey.’ Logan turned and his smile broadened at the sight of his nurse. ‘Hope you don’t mind, I made dinner.’

‘If that’s how you normally cook then I'm going to retire and let you feed us.’ She came over to the pan and took a deep breath. ‘What did you use to season the meat?’

‘Now that would be revealing my secrets,’ Logan tapped the side of his nose.


	12. Chapter 12

‘I’m getting worried, George,’ Sam sat at her desk with her fiancé across from her. He had brought her a coffee on his way to work to give her a break. 

‘Malcolm’s a big lad. Can handle himself.’

‘He’s never disappeared for this long before though.’ Sam twisted some of her long brown hair, her nervousness displaying itself.

‘But he has before. The guy doesn’t like to plan his trips ahead of time.’

‘This wasn’t likely a trip,’ Sam sighed. 

‘Why do you say that?’ 

‘He didn’t take her with him.’ Sam pointed out. 

‘He didn’t?’ George’s eyebrows shot up in a bit of surprise. ‘Why go away without your lady?’

‘I think he needed to escape from her for a while,’ Sam sighed. ‘She’s been by 3 times now looking for money.’

‘You don’t give it to her do you?’

‘I don’t have much of a choice. It’s Malcolm’s money and he gave me directions way back to provide her an allowance of 500 pounds a week as needed in his absence.’

‘But she’s been by 3 times.’

‘She dropped by on the first Monday and every Monday since. Malcolm left me nothing as to where or how long he’d be.’

‘It’s been what? Close to 3 weeks now?’

‘Two and a half weeks.’ 

‘Call the police?’

‘Are you kidding? First time he pulled this on me I did and got nothing but grief for it.’ Sam sighed again. ‘Have to do something though.’

‘What else can you do then?’

‘I think it’s time to go over to his place and see if he’s left any notes at all.’

‘You’re not going over alone,’ George decided.

‘George, it’s just Malcolm’s place.’

‘I’d feel better if I went with you, love.’ George stood up. ‘Come on then.’

‘But you’ve got work?’

‘I’ll tell them I’ll be late.’

* * *  
It was just before noon when George pulled their car up in front of Malcolm’s house. A beat up car was parked there as well. Sam’s knuckles went white as she gripped her handbag. ‘That’s not what I was expecting to see.’

‘Oh?’ George put the car in park. ‘Who’s car is it?’

‘I’ve heard Malcolm talk about it. I think it’s one of her friend’s.’ Sam got out of the car, followed by her fiancé. She pulled out the key that Malcolm had given to her years ago. Unlocking it, she led the way into the house. ‘Oh my.’ 

In the front room, Louisa and Diane were once more sprawled there, although they were both passed out and insensible. A small bag of cocaine was still sitting on the coffee table there. Gigi stumbled towards them along the hall carrying a bottle of wine and a cigarette dangling from her other hand. 

‘Gigi, you’re not to be here!’ Sam confronted the model. ‘You should be at your own place when Malcolm’s not in town.’

‘Sam! Darling! Don’t be so tight assed,’ Gigi smiled broadly. ‘Malcolm isn’t here so he won’t have a clue.’ 

‘He will, because I’ll tell him!’ Sam glowered at the blonde. ‘You and your friends here are trespassing plus you have drugs. Good thing I’ve called the police to come and get you out. What they do about the drugs is up to them.’

‘The police?’ Gigi went white despite the half worn off make up she’d applied earlier in the day. ‘You can’t call the police.’

‘I already have. I suggest you and your friends leave now before they arrive.’

‘If the police shows up they’ll only attract the paparazzi. Call them and tell them not to show up.’ 

‘No. You get your friends and get out. Now!’ Sam steeled herself and hoped that Gigi wouldn’t call her bluff.

‘Damn you!’ Gigi shot the evilest of looks at Sam. ‘Once Malcolm is back I’ll have to speak to him about you.’

‘Feel free, Gigi. I won’t be the one worried about my future.’

For the next five minutes, Gigi kept up a string of insults and threats towards Sam, but it was just hot air as she got her friends at least semi-alert enough to grab their drugs and head out the house. George had to help a too high Diane out to the car safely. Gigi got behind the wheel and all Sam could do at that point was hope that they made it in one piece to Gigi’s place. The temptation to actually call the police and report the annoying woman as a possible impaired drive was incredibly high. 

George had an arm draped over Sam’s shoulder as they watched the car pull off down the road. It was George who pulled out his mobile and rang the police to report a suspected impaired driver. Sam gave him a smack on the chest. ‘Why did you do that?’

‘She’s only drunk. Not high. I could tell that much. Most she’ll get is a DUI.’

‘I hope so. Even that may be a step too far in Malcolm’s eyes.’

‘Malcolm’s eyes be damned, my love. That woman is wrong and if she gets thrown in lock up for a bit, it will only do her good.’ George grunted as Sam smacked him again. ‘Or at least you some good knowing she’s not ransacking Malcolm’s home in his absence. Now, leave her to her own doings. We came over to see if there was something to tell us where he ran off to.’

The two went back in the house to be faced with the mess in the front room. ‘Go on, love. I’ll clean up down here. You go and see if you can find out where that boss of yours has disappeared to.’

Sam agreed and went first to Malcolm’s home office. It was, unlike the office he had, quite sparse. Just his desk with a computer on it and some photos on the wall. Taking a chance, she turned it on and used the same log in he used in the office and was quickly in and looking over his most recent rough drafts. There was nothing there at all.

Malcolm had really jumped off the grid without any leads this time, Sam realized as she powered off his computer. There weren’t even any notes at all on his desk. 

‘Anything?’ George stood in the doorway. 

‘Nothing at all. Did you get everything cleaned up?’

‘Yeah. They’ve been partying for some time here. Pile of bottles were in the sink.’

Sam grimaced at that realization. ‘I’m tempted to get the locks changed.’

‘What would Malcolm do?’

‘Malcolm is still besotted with her.’

‘You think so? He’s disappeared for 2 and a half weeks without her. Last time he went off on his own that was when she went on a bender right?’

‘Yes.’ Sam sat back in Malcolm’s office chair. ‘He thought that by leaving her in the cold she’d realize how important their relationship was. I told him that it was pointless then too.’

‘Did he ever tell you where he took off to?’ 

‘No. Just said it was his private space,’ Sam sighed. ‘The man never goes on vacations to normal vacation spots. If I were to go by his past reactions I’d almost say that he goes to the gloomiest spots to get away from London.’

‘Well, he is a Scot.’

‘George..’ Sam chided him with just her tone. 

‘Now, come on, Sam. He is a Scot and he’s a gloomy sort of man,’ George smiled. ‘Well, he wouldn’t have gone somewhere with sun. That would have meant him having his passport with him and a ticket purchased somewhere.’

‘No, his passport is still here.’

‘So, somewhere in the UK then. Just a matter of where.’

‘And that’s the big question. Where would he go that would keep him there for so long?’

‘Yes.’ George agreed with her. ‘Look, you call up the locksmith and get the locks changed. Why don’t you call up that security company too. Have them do some patrols around the place to keep an eye on the place when we’re not around.’ 

‘Good idea.’

‘I’ll go look around the place a bit more and see if anything comes up that can suggest where he’ll have taken off to.’

Sam got busy calling up a locksmith and then arranging some security patrols. It wasn’t a big surprise for the security company as they were already used to keeping an eye on the office regularly. Calls made, she got up and went up the stairs to the bedroom where she found George looking around. ‘Locksmith will be around in the next 30 minutes. Find anything up here?’

‘Not really. Malcolm’s not a hoarder of anything. Good taste in suits though.’

‘I pick most of them for him.’

‘At least you didn’t marry him,’ George teased her. Sam tried to cuff him in the shoulder but he grabbed her and pulled her into a hug and a kiss. ‘You are all mine, love.’

‘Except when it comes to Malcolm.’

‘Within reason.’ 

‘Within reason.’ Sam agreed with another kiss to her fiancé’s lips. ‘But where is that boss of mine?’ Exasperated, Sam sat on Malcolm’s bed with her shoulders sagging slightly. George sat beside her and draped an arm over her shoulders to hug her close.

‘Let’s try and think about this a bit more,’ George suggested finally. ‘You said he went to a private space last time?’

‘Yes. That’s what he had said when I asked him for details.’ 

‘What else does he keep private?’

‘Just about anything personal, really,’ Sam admitted.

‘I know he talks to you just about everything, Sam. What does he flat out refuse to talk to you about?’

‘Her.’ 

‘And that’s who he ran from. Puts us back to square one.’

A knock on the door interrupted them and Sam went to the front door to oversee the locksmith’s changing of the locks. It left George to wander about the upstairs. The bedroom was quite bare aside from the bed and the wardrobes. The only photos on the walls were of the two of them. Even then George figured that they would have been hung there by Gigi and not Malcolm. Going to the bedside stands, George opened the small drawers, blushed and closed them just as quickly. Definitely nothing there that would shed light on where the Scot would have gone.

Giving up on the bedroom, George went to the other room on the upper floor. He sighed as he realized it was essentially a storage space. There were boxes stacked against one wall and another wardrobe full of older suits. Behind a number of boxes, George found a small bookshelf. He was about to push the boxes back in front of the shelf when his eye caught a couple of old photo albums. 

‘Private space,’ George muttered aloud to himself. ‘He never talks about his family. That would be a private.’ George pulled the boxes right out of the way and retrieved the photo albums. 

‘Find something?’ Sam asked as she returned upstairs.

‘Not sure. Locks changed?’ 

‘Yes. No chance of her getting back in Malcolm’s house until he’s back in town. Are those photo albums?’

‘Yes, old ones from the looks of it.’ 

‘How about we take these down to the kitchen. I could use some tea.’ 

They headed to the kitchen where Sam soon had the kettle on while George wiped the dust off the photo albums. ‘I don’t think he’s had these open for a long time.’

‘Not a surprise. He’s not the sort of man who’s going to rehash the past.’

‘Except to write memoirs of his time at Number 10.’

Sam paused, tilted her head at George and then said, ‘Point taken. Let’s refine that to his personal past.’

George laughed and took his cup of tea from Sam. She sat down beside him and they began to flip through the photo albums. There was very little to indicate who was in the photos, where they were taken or even when. They could only guess that they were going chronologically through them. 

‘Malcolm certainly got the family features didn’t he?’ George noted as they flipped through the albums. ‘I’m thinking this is his grandfather and father in this photo but the eyebrows and the nose are pretty distinct.’

‘That they are.’ Sam slowly turned the pages. ‘One thing I’m noticing is they tend to be in the same area. When it’s just father and son.’

‘You noticed it too then. All over the place when the mother is in the photos, but for just the men it’s out in the highlands.’

‘Boys only trips,’ Sam commented. ‘Don’t blame the mother for staying home. Look at this one. All kitted out for hiking.’

‘Gosh, yes.’ George took a closer look at the photo. ‘No signs at all to show where they’re at. Not sure how we’ll find out where this is.’

‘And there’s no guarantee that’s where he’s gone.’

George closed the photo album. ‘No, no guarantees but at least a start.’

Sam pulled out one of the most recent photos of Malcolm, much younger maybe in his late teens, with a man who was likely his father standing in front of a picturesque valley, blue skies with a few white clouds. They were both smiling for the photo. ‘I’ll bring this with me and see if I can find out where it is.’

‘Good idea.’


	13. Chapter 13

Logan woke up in the guest room and swung his feet out of bed onto the cold floor. He wiggled his toes before standing up. He tested his ankle with a few steps and grinned. It felt a lot better now if still tender. As he paced back and forth, his eyes caught his reflection in a small mirror. Logan’s eyebrows furrowed briefly at the sight of himself with a full beard and shaggy hair. His long fingers ran through the grey-sprinkled facial hair. Something inside his head told him he looked too scruffy, too mad, too angry. It wasn’t him, he felt. But it was, his conscious brain said. This was him, standing here, looking at himself in the mirror. Closing his eyes, he shook his head to try and clear the cobwebs that seemed to clog up his memories. 

After running some cold water over his face to wake himself up, Logan left his room and went down the short hall to the kitchen. Adaline was still in bed so he took advantage of the quiet time to start making a full breakfast for them both. The more he walked about the kitchen making breakfast the more confident he felt about getting out of the cottage and joining Adaline on a walk at least along the easiest part of the path. 

With the last slice of bacon removed from the pan, Logan set it aside and got a clean pan to fry up some eggs. 

‘Logan! You really don’t need to keep cooking all the time.’

‘I enjoy cooking for you, Adaline,’ Logan beamed at her. 

Her hair was mussed from her sleep and she was quick to cover her mouth as she yawned. ‘At the pace you’re feeding me I’ll be getting heavy.’

‘With all your walking that’s never going to happen.’ Logan laid breakfast on a plate for her and set it in front of her at the table. 

‘If you think I walk a lot now, you should see me in the summer,’ Adaline tackled the full plate in front of her. ‘I run a small guided tour hike up to the top of the hills.’

‘What’s there to say about them?’ Logan asked, sitting down with his own breakfast across from her.

‘Plenty of local tales. I’m surprised you don’t know any of them,’ Adaline said and then caught herself. ‘Sorry.’

‘It’s okay, Adaline. I sometimes forget that I’ve lost my memory too.’ Logan smiled comfortingly. 

‘I should be more mindful, Logan. I apologize.’

‘Apology accepted. Pay me back by taking me on one of those guided tours.’

‘I don’t think I’ll be taking you on one of those hikes yet.’ 

‘I’ll work towards it then. Could start out light today. I can join you on some of the closer and smoother paths near by.’

‘You sure you’re up to it, Logan?’ 

‘Yeah. I’m sure. I need to get out and stretch my legs. If you can manage my slowing you down.’

An hour later Logan was lacing up his boots nice and tight to help brace his ankle. ‘Ready, Adaline?’

‘Coming.’ She was pulling on her jacket and closing her cottage door. ‘You?’

‘More than ready.’ 

With a good grip on his walking stick, Logan paced steadily behind Adaline as she led the way along the gentlest of paths. Logan had vague recollections of the path as they walked it. He couldn’t place the memory but it just felt like he’d been along it before. His heel caught a rock and he couldn’t help grunting in discomfort.

‘You okay, Logan?’ Adaline was quick to get to his side.

‘Stupid rock,’ he growled at the offending rock and gave it a kick to send it down the hillside a short distance. 

‘Feel better?’ 

‘No, not really,’ Logan admitted but still annoyed. 

‘I meant your ankle.’

‘Oh.’ Logan cleared his throat in embarrassment. ‘It’s fine. Just a small twinge of pain.’

‘When your ankle is better we can find the rock and you can apologize to it personally.’ Logan blinked rapidly, confused by Adaline’s comment until she laughed lightly. ‘Oh the look on your face! You actually took me seriously for a moment.’

‘I did.’ Logan could feel himself blush under his beard. 

Adaline slipped her arm around his. ‘I’ll try not to tease you too much.’

‘Tease all you like, Adaline. I’ll just try to not be so serious all the time.’ Logan smiled at her. 

‘Now that I like the sound of. Shall we carry on or head back home?’

‘Your place I think. Before I find another rock to kick about.’


	14. Chapter 14

‘This is hopeless!’ Sam sat back in her kitchen chair, frustrated after scouring pictures of Scottish hills to see if any looked at all like the one in the photo they had got from Malcolm’s home. 

George came over with a glass of wine for her and sat down, an arm around her. ‘We can’t give up on the man, love.’

‘I know that, George, but this is just not working at all.’

He picked up the photo and stared at it. ‘I still think this is a key to finding out where Malcolm is.’

‘But where is it? That’s where we’re stuck.’ Sam sipped her wine. ‘It’s no wonder the man has a foul temper. Surrounded by all these hills that all look the same.’

‘And here I thought it was just the gloomy weather that made him grumpy.’ George gave Sam a little shake to try and get her to smile. ‘Let’s think about this then.’

‘I’m open to anything as long as I don’t have to stare at hills.’

‘So,’ George tapped the photo. ‘We know he’s been going to these hills for years with his father and grandfather. Looks like the paths are well worn so their old ones or heavily walked. Malcolm’s father passed away some years back right?’

‘I never knew the man myself. I believe it was a few years before Malcolm hired me that his father had passed away. He’s never told me the exact date.’ Sam took the photo from George. ‘Malcolm would have been in his late 20’s or early 30’s.’

‘Maybe there’s something in the obituary that may give us a clue then.’

‘Could be. I’ll do a record search tomorrow.’


	15. Chapter 15

‘Do you think you’re up to walking into the village with me today?’ Adaline was helping clean up their breakfast dishes. ‘It’s not too steep a walk down.’

‘I’m game to give it a try. I’ll walk in front so I don’t fall on you.’

‘You’ll be fine, Logan. It’s not raining and the path isn’t muddy.’ Adaline finished putting away the last of the dishes. She rested her hand on his forearm for a moment, ‘And I would catch you if you fall.’

‘My heroine,’ He smiled broadly, his eyes twinkling. Playfully, he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

‘Oh my,’ Adaline blushed and then giggled at him. ‘You’re bad.’

‘I’ll work on behaving better than I have,’ Logan winked at her.

Some time later, Logan was heading down the path towards the village of Balquihidder with Adaline, not behind her or ahead of her, but beside her. It remained sunny as they walked along in a companionable silence. The path narrowed at one bend and Logan found Adaline’s arm slipping around his to walk more closely to his side. His hand went over hers to hold it gently and stop her moving it away when the path widened again. 

They continued to walk along the path until they got to the road into the village. With more space to walk side by side and the more even surface, Adaline moved her hand from Logan’s arm to his hand. With a shy glance at him, she twined her fingers in his. Logan looked first at their hands then to her eyes and smiled.


	16. Chapter 16

_Ross Tucker passed away peacefully on March 10th, 1986. Survived by his son, Malcolm Tucker, and his cousin, Kirk Tucker. Fondly remembered as a strong and loving father who loved the outdoors._

‘Typical Scots,’ Sam sighed. ‘Not a lot to say at all.’ The only photo included with the obituary was a profile shot of the older man. She had spent all day scouring all of the online resources she could find to look for any information she could about Malcolm’s father. Even his cousin had died in the interim so there was no chance to speak to him at all. The cousin had had a family but they barely knew Ross or Malcolm and lived in Australia. Unlike Malcolm, the cousin had left a number of children to pass on the name. Sam made a note to let Malcolm know about them as well.

George arrived at the office with a welcome cup of coffee for her. ‘Hey, love. How’s it going?’

‘Not well. That’s all I’ve been able to find.’ She pointed at the computer monitor.

‘Ross and Kirk.’ George could only shrug. ‘I’m out of ideas I’m afraid.’

‘Same here,’ Sam agreed. George was about to say something else when the phone rang. Sam answered it. ‘Hello? What? When did this happen? I’m on my way!’

‘What’s up?’

‘Security company is patrolling by Malcolm’s house and she’s over there right now trying to get in.’ Sam grabbed her bag. ‘Good timing that you’re here.’

‘Let’s go.’ George was on her heels and out the door. 

Arriving at Malcolm’s house they found a burly security guy standing at the front door, arms crossed. Gigi was fuming in front of him waving her ID at him and declaring loudly that she was Malcolm’s partner and had every right to go inside.

‘What makes you think you can go into Malcolm’s house?’ Sam challenged the frantic woman.

‘Malcolm and I are partners.’

‘You’re not married, not even in a civic ceremony,’ Sam pointed out. ‘Malcolm has also made it clear that you’re only a girlfriend not common law.’

‘We’ve been seeing each other for years now.’ Gigi looked like she was about to stamp her foot in a fit of pique. ‘You have no right to keep me from Malcolm’s house. I have clothes in there!’

‘I can go in and fetch the clothes for you,’ Sam said coolly.

‘I’m more than capable of doing that for myself,’ Gigi snapped at her and made another attempt to push past the security guard and into the house. ‘Hey!’ The guard was more than fast enough to grab the model’s arm and stop her entering the house. 

‘I swear, Gigi, if you keep this up I will have you arrested!’ Sam warned her. ‘I’ll go in and pack up your clothes to get them for you.’

‘You can go to hell!’ Gigi snarled at Sam, wrenched her arm out of the grasp of the security guard to run into the house.

‘George, can you call the police.’ Sam rolled her eyes. ‘I’ll go inside and keep my eye on her. If she comes out keep her until the police gets here. I’m quite done with her now.’

George nodded and Sam went inside after Gigi. She found her in the bedroom, not at the wardrobe, but trying to rifle through the nightstands. Sam knew exactly what the model was looking for. Malcolm’s backup stash of money. ‘I’ve called the police.’

‘Doesn’t matter,’ Gigi scoffed. ‘I have all the right in the world as Malcolm’s girlfriend to be in his house.’

‘Not according to Malcolm. His instructions are that if he goes on a vacation without you, that you’re not to be in his house. It’s in writing and notarised by his lawyer. You being here when Malcolm is not present is in contravention of that and you are liable to be arrested at the discretion of the police. Who should be here shortly.’

Gigi had tuned out Sam to continue rummaging through the doors and then let out a happy squeal. ‘Ha!’ She held up a bundle of money that had been buried by Malcolm in an old journal. ‘This should keep me for a little while. I’ll still expect my allowance next week.’

‘I won’t deny you your allowance but you’ll give that to me or I will have you arrested for theft.’

Gigi just smirked and slid the bundle of money into her bra. ‘You are nothing, little mouse.’ She breezed past Sam and down the stairs. There she found her way blocked by the security guard. Turning to leave via the backdoor her way was blocked by Sam.

‘Return the money and leave or you’ll be arrested when the police gets here,’ Sam repeated, but got only a smirk by way of a response from Gigi.

Minutes later the police arrived and one of them drew Gigi from the house to talk to her while Sam, George and the security guard were all interviewed calmly.

Gigi, when asked to hand over the money by one of the officers, claimed that she had no knowledge of any money. A second police car pulled up with a female officer in it and soon the bundle of money was located and Gigi found herself being handcuffed. By the time that was happening a few photographers had turned up to take photos despite the security guard working to get them to back away down the street. 

‘What’s Malcolm going to make of this?’ George asked Sam under his breath as they watched Gigi kicking up a fuss about sitting in the back seat of the police car. 

‘If he’s smart he’ll turn his back on her and move on.’

‘Unlikely to do that,’ George pointed out to his fiancée. 

‘He’s not come home yet,’ Sam countered. ‘I’m going to take that to mean that he’s not willing to come back to her. As I have legal authority to manage his property in his absence I’m thinking it’s time we clear out everything that’s hers and move it out. When he returns and he breaks it off with her then we’ve helped him out immensely. If he wants to continue his relationship with her then she can bring her things back to his house.’

‘Aren’t you worried about making the wrong choice?’

‘It’s Malcolm, I’m not worried about him or my job with him.’

‘Well, if that’s the case and we’re here, shall we go in and start packing it all up?’

‘No time like the present,’ Sam agreed. They watched the last of the police cars and photographers leave and went back inside. 

Gigi had managed to make a fair mess in her search for Malcolm’s money. It was, unfortunately, not the first time Sam had had to do a cleanup after one of Malcolm’s meltdowns thanks to Gigi. It was however a typical pattern. Gigi tore through any spot that may hold money in it so there were plenty of small items opened and strewn about. 

‘Didn’t think she had that much time to make this sort of mess.’ George was kneeling on one side of the bed to clean up scattered items.

‘She’s a very determined person when it comes to getting money.’ 

‘I’ll say,’ he had to reach under the bed to gather up some more strewn about items. One of the items turned out to be a worn journal. ‘Didn’t know the man kept a diary.’

‘Not really. He’s got a great memory.’ Sam was busy pulling dresses out of the wardrobe and folding them into a box. 

‘This is definitely a diary.’ George stood up and began to leaf through it. ‘Looks a bit on the old side though. 1997. Isn’t that when he got hired on at Number 10?’

‘He’d been at Number 10 for 2 years by then. It was just a year before he hired me on. He was just a step away from becoming the Head of Communications in 97.’

Curious, George began to read some of the pages. ‘Hey! Sam! Read this bit!’

‘What?’ Sam took the journal from George and looked at the passage in question.

_June 10th - Just got back to London. Earlier than expected, but that’s the way it goes. Shouldn’t have asked Jamie along on a hike up the trails. He’s too city. No highlander even if he’s a fellow Caledonian. At least he was good to relax in the pub afterwards._

‘Jamie has been up to the highlands with Malcolm on the trails,’ George pointed out the obvious.

‘I’ll talk to him tomorrow,’ Sam smiled with hope. ‘Right now, let’s get the rest of this packed up.’


	17. Chapter 17

Logan was in the small kitchen putting together a number of sandwiches, wrapping them up and then placing them in his backpack. Following that up with other nibbles and some biscuits, the last thing he prepared was a thermos with some hot tea.

‘Adaline?’ Logan, carrying his backpack, went outside to the front porch. He found her outside in her small garden doing some weeding. ‘You going to be ready for our walk soon?’

‘Just this last row to weed.’ 

‘Let me help,’ Logan offered and before Adaline could stop him, he had grabbed a pair of garden gloves to slip them on. ‘These are the weeds?’ He was pointing to one of the low growing plants around the staked bean plants.

‘Yes.’ Adaline just shook her head and bent to more weeding.

Once the row of beans were once more free of weeds, Logan stood up straight and grinned at her. ‘See, twice the hands half the work.’ 

‘Thank you, Logan.’ Adaline tipped onto her toes to stretch up to give him a little kiss on his cheek. 

‘Keep that up and you’ll have me thinking you like me a lot.’ Logan teased her and smiled even more at the blush on her cheeks.

‘I already like you, Logan,’ Adaline admitted softly. Before he could say anything else, she was taking hold of his hand to give it a gentle squeeze. ‘You mentioned our walk?’

‘I did. I have a lunch made for us as well.’

‘That sounds perfect. Let’s get going then.’ 

An hour later the couple had made it up a good part of the hill to a popular picnic area. It had been so popular over the years that rocks had been placed into a circle with a small hearth in the middle of it. Logan stood there, pack lowered to the ground, and looked out over the valley outstretched below them. They were nowhere near the summit of the hill, but it was still an impressive view. Flashes of memories ran through his head to make him lift a hand to his forehead and rub it.

‘Logan?’ Adaline took hold of his hand again. 

‘I remember this place,’ he muttered in frustration. ‘I should know more though.’

‘Tell me what you remember,’ Adaline prompted him. 

‘I was younger. Not too young though,’ he found himself biting at his lower lip as he tried to remember more clearly. ‘I think I was with a friend at the time.’

‘Tell me about your friend.’

‘Another Scotsman. Curly hair. He wasn’t happy.’ More frustration had Logan thumping himself with closed fists on his thighs. ‘That’s all I remember.’

‘You’re remembering. That’s what counts. It’s progress, Logan.’ Adaline reached up and took hold of his hand, stopping him from fretful rubbing. ‘Don’t force it, just let it happen. You’ve been here before, so it’s helping you remember. We’ll just keep at it.’

‘I can’t stay here forever.’ Logan found his brows furrowing, tension building in him. ‘I have to find out who I am, where I belong.’

‘Right now, you belong here.’ Adaline ran her hand over his cheek to try and settle him. ‘You belong here for as long you want to belong here.’

‘I’m just some lost, flat footed city guy who couldn’t stay on his feet on the hills.’ 

‘You’re more than that, Logan,’ Adaline smiled softly at him. 

‘What am I then?’ Logan turned to her.

Adaline leaned close and kissed him lightly on the lips. She pulled away after a moment to gauge his reaction. Logan couldn’t speak at all. He laid a hand on her cheek, his thumb running gently over her skin. His eyes searched hers. Adaline gazed back at him opening up her soul for him to explore. 

‘Adaline?’ Her name was the merest whisper of sound on his lips.

‘Logan.’ 

He moved closer to her, his head tilting to press his lips against hers once more. Their kiss lingered for a long time as they explored one another for the first time. After Logan put his arm around Adaline’s shoulders to hold her close. They didn’t need to speak in that moment, just sit beside one another to enjoy that first closeness properly.


	18. Chapter 18

It had been a number of years since Sam had last spoken to Jamie and she found herself having to look up his number instead of just dialing it from memory. The phone rang a number of times before Jamie answered.

‘Who the fuck is this?’ Jamie snarled into the phone, not recognising the number.

‘It’s Sam.’ 

‘Oh, shit. Sorry, Sam. How are you?’ Jamie’s tone calmed down a few notches. 

‘I’m doing well, Jamie. Thanks. How are you? They’re keeping you busy there at Number 10?’

‘The usual. Not much has changed since Malcolm left.’ Jamie couldn’t help himself grinning at the thought of his old friend. ‘Speaking of the old bastard, how’s he doing?’

‘Well, that’s why I’m calling you,’ Sam hesitated.

Jamie picked up her tension. ‘What’s going on, Sam? Is he in trouble?’

‘I don’t know, Jamie. He took off three weeks ago and I’ve not heard from him at all.’

‘Took off did he? He’s still with that cunt? Shit, sorry.’ 

‘He is. For now,’ Sam admitted.

‘Come on, Sam. Tell me what’s going on with Malcolm.’

‘I’m worried. He’s only ever gone for two weeks before. Even then he would call me or text me if he needed money or when to expect him back. I know that he would only have taken money for two weeks and no call at all.’

‘He is an adult, Sam,’ Jamie pointed out needlessly. ‘And you’re not his mother.’

‘I know that, Jamie. But I’m his friend and I’m worried.’

‘Fair enough,’ Jamie had got to his office and sat at his desk. ‘What can I do to help then?’

‘Where would he have gone?’ Sam asked quickly.

‘Where? I have no idea where. He could have gone anywhere,’ Jamie shrugged.

‘I can’t imagine that he’s gone anywhere sunny. He didn’t take his passport at all. That’s still in his home safe. So, he’s somewhere in the UK.’

‘Maybe you should just give him some time, Sam.’

‘No, Jamie. Something’s wrong,’ Sam insisted. 

‘I don’t know where he’d be.’ 

‘When we were at Malcolm’s place, we found a diary where he mentioned you and him in the hills. It sounded like it was an important place for Malcolm.’

‘Oh that trip!’ Jamie sat up. ‘That’s ages ago I went on that trip with him. He was really stressed out at the time and thought it would be a good idea to get away for both of us to relax. I hoped to use the time to plan out the election strategy, but he got pissed when I wanted to talk work.’

‘Do you remember where you went?’

‘You think he’s gone back there?’

‘If he went there in the past when he was stressed then he was definitely stressed out with her now.’

‘Not sure if I can remember where we went,’ Jamie bit his lip in thought.

‘All we’ve been able to figure out is that it was in the Highlands. Lots of trails and hiking. He seems to have gone there often with his father growing up.’

‘Oh! Right!’ Jamie grinned at the memories. ‘I remember now. Malcolm couldn’t stop talking about his walks with his old man. I got to the point where I would talk about work just to shut him up before he started on another long story about hiking up a hill in the mist and fog. Where was it…. Hang on.’ Jamie went quiet for a few minutes. ‘I can’t remember the village name but I know that we stayed at an odd bed and breakfast. That’s all I remember. I may have something at home that will jog my memory. Leave it with me overnight.’

‘Whatever you can find for me, Jamie. I’d appreciate it.’

Sam sighed. She had been hoping for a better result.

* * *  
The next day, Sam was once more at her desk in the office doing more transcription work from Malcolm’s older journals when her phone rang.

‘Hey, Sam. Any word from Malcolm yet?’

‘No, nothing.’

‘Well, I was looking through my old photo albums and I found a few from that trip I took with Malcolm.’

‘What’d you find?’

‘Found a photo of me and Malcolm in front of the bed and breakfast. It’s not the best photo but I think it was called Craymor. His big head blocked part of the sign.’

‘Thanks, Jamie. It’s something to try anyway.’

‘Give me a call when Malcolm turns up, okay? I’ll bollock him and then take him out for a drink or five.’

Sam went online right away and after a quick search on different spellings of the bed and breakfast name, she found the one that Jamie may have remembered. She picked up the phone and rang George. ‘Balquhidder, George. I think that’s where he’s gone. Can you get some time off work?’


	19. Chapter 19

Logan and Adaline found themselves growing closer after their kiss on the hillside. 

Adaline had a few scheduled hillside hike tours to handle which left Logan to his own devices most of the day. He took up the weeding of the small garden and making them both dinner. He was also more confident with his ankle to the point where it really wasn’t a problem for him any longer. It was just his memory loss that lingered. 

Sitting and staring at the hills wore on him though. Adaline was due to lead a small group of hikers up to the highest peak, so Logan decided to go into town for a change of scenery and pick up some groceries for the two of them. 

In the village, Logan nodded to the handful of other villagers that he knew from his previous trips with Adaline. The only one who gave him any sort of grief was the pub owner. He apparently owed the man money from a tab when he had first arrived in the village. Using the last of his funds, Logan paid it off. He asked the pub owner if he could shed any light on his identity, but all he got was shrugs and ‘Dunno’. 

Returning back to Adaline’s cottage in the hills, Logan’s steps took him past the Cragmhor bed and breakfast and he found himself smiling over a memory suddenly of his father standing in front of it with an old pipe in his mouth, puffing away on it while the wind blew through his greying hair. A sack hung at his side and a walking stick in his other hand. He could see the older man mouthing something, but he couldn’t make it out. The memory faded suddenly and Logan was left to carry on up to Adaline’s cottage, struggling to recall the details.

The faded memory was still haunting him as he sat on the porch waiting for Adaline to return after her guided hike. He stood up at her approach, hugging her and kissing her by way of greeting. 

‘You feel tense, Logan,’ Adaline had rested her hands on his chest as they had kissed, feeling the tightness in his muscles. 

‘Sorry,’ he laid his hands on hers, rubbing the back of her hands with his thumbs. ‘Was in town today and just had a memory come back to me. Saw my father.’

‘Oh. Was it a pleasant memory?’

Logan thought a moment. ‘Yes, but frustrating. I know it was my father. He was saying something but I couldn’t make it out and I couldn’t remember my father’s name.’

‘You’re remembering things. That’s good.’ Adaline tipped up on her toes to kiss him again. ‘I don’t have any tours tomorrow. We’ll go see the doctor.’

‘Sure,’ Logan agreed, but his eyes were looking into the distance, trying to recall the image of his father again. It was Adaline’s squeeze of his fingers that broke into his thoughts to go inside and have dinner with her.

After eating they were both sitting by the fireplace, Adaline content to sit with her legs up and resting her head on Logan’s shoulder as he draped an arm around her shoulders. They sat in silence for some time until Logan spoke. ‘I wish I’d remember more by now.’

‘You want to leave that quickly?’

‘No, not that. I just feel empty in parts of me,’ Logan explained. ‘I feel like I should be honest about everything with you and I can’t be.’

‘I understand why, Logan.’

‘I know it just doesn’t change how I feel.’

‘Whatever it was that brought you here is still there, inside you. I hope you’ll find what you’re looking for.’ Adaline’s voice was soothing. ‘Lots of people come to the hills for different reasons.’

‘What about you then?’ 

‘Me?’

‘Yes, what brought you here to the hills?’

Adaline went quiet for a few minutes. ‘My family grew up nearby. The cottage has been in our family going back a few generations now. I was living in Edinburgh for ten years until my father passed away. That’s when I came back.’

‘Didn’t like Edinburgh?’

She sighed. ‘I suppose I did. I made more money, had a number of friends that I could go out with, but it was just too busy.’

‘City life usually is.’

‘It is. I thought I’d just come back here for a little while, maybe set it up as a vacation property that I can rent out.’

‘It didn’t pan out that way?’

‘The peace won me over. I make enough as a guide to see me through.’

‘Glad it did,’ Logan smiled and gave her a hug.


	20. Chapter 20

‘Here we are. The great village of Balquhidder,’ George announced as they passed the village limits sign. ‘Don’t go blinking or you’ll miss it.’

‘Oh stop that, George,’ Sam chided her fiancé but smiled at his lame humour. ‘We’re looking for the Cragmhor.’

‘What did the directions say?’

‘We have to turn left at the red telephone box and over the bridge. Then take the left fork.’

‘A village so small there’s no street names.’

‘Why spend the money on signs when everyone knows where everything is. There’s the phone box.’

‘Got it.’ George turned to the left, over the bridge and almost missed the left fork but a quick turn had them heading down the lane. 

‘Turn left down that small bridge now.’ 

‘Left, left, left. We’re about to go in a big circle,’ George grumbled.

‘There it is. There’s the sculpture.’ 

The car pulled into the drive and they parked. ‘No one else is here, Sam.’

‘Remember, he took the train. There wouldn’t be a car here for Malcolm.’ Sam waited for George to get out their luggage before they went up to the front door. The owner invited them in and helped get them to their suite. 

‘Did you have a guest here recently?’ Sam pulled out the photo she had of Malcolm. ‘This fellow?’

‘Looks vaguely familiar, but couldn’t say for sure. You have a name?’

‘Malcolm Tucker.’ 

‘No. The only Tuckers I’ve had stay here were well over four years ago.’

‘Okay, thanks anyway.’ The owner left and George began to unpack their luggage into the wardrobe. Sam sat and looked dejected on the bed.

‘Hey, don’t look so down. Just because we got the bed and breakfast wrong doesn’t mean he’s not here in the village.’

‘Well, there seems to be only a handful of shops and one pub. Shouldn’t be hard to track him down,’ Sam tried to think more positively. 

‘It’s been a long drive up here. Let’s get a good night sleep and tackle the village in the morning.’


	21. Chapter 21

‘We’ll need to go into the village today, Adaline,’ Logan cracked the last egg into the frying pan. 

Adaline joined him in the kitchen, casually slipping her arms around his waist to hug him. ‘Eggs and milk. How are we doing for tea?’

‘Plenty of that still. Now, sit. This will only take another moment to finish frying up.’

After their breakfast, the two of them got their jackets and hiking boots on and began the trek down into the village. 

Meanwhile, in the Cragmhor, Sam was sitting across from George enjoying their own breakfast. ‘Game plan today, love?’ George asked around a mouthful of toast.

‘We’ll just ask around the village. I’ve got the photo with me.’

‘Long as you don’t want me to go hiking up the hills looking for that boss of yours,’ George whinged a little as they left the bed and breakfast. 

Sam slipped her fingers between his and squeezed her fiancé’s hand a little. ‘Of course not. Do I look like I’m wanting to do that myself?’

‘What if we don’t find him here?’ 

‘Let’s hope that we will,’ Sam stopped him thinking that way.

The village wasn’t really that big and the high street was easy enough for Sam and George to casually stroll along and browse the shops at their leisure, get to know the shopkeepers and talk to them about Malcolm. It was the same everywhere. The photo reminded people more of past years but not at that time. 

It was getting close to mid-afternoon when Sam and George decided to take a break and sit on a bench in a small park. There was only a small amount of foot traffic in the village as it was off season. 

Coming down the hill along the lane that passes in front of the Cragmhor, Adaline and Logan strolled slowly along. There hadn’t been any rush for them to get to the shop to pick up groceries. They were quite comfortable now holding one another’s hands. The only other stop they had lined up was a drop in at the doctor’s office which was quick as the doctor had been called away to one of his patients’ homes. 

As they walked along the high street, Logan’s eyes furrowed suddenly as he spotted the shoulder length brown hair on the woman sitting on the bench beside another fellow. His hand tightened a little around Adaline’s, that drew her attention to him. Getting closer to the bench, the woman laughed and turned her head towards the fellow.

Logan stopped suddenly as a flood of memories exploded in his head. ‘SAM! What the fuck are you doing here? You’re supposed to be in fucking London working on those fucking transcripts!’

‘Malcolm?’ Sam shot to her feet with George right beside her.

‘Logan?’ Adaline was looking from Malcolm to Sam quickly. 

‘Malcolm.’ Sam got up quickly to go to the Scot, but stopped when she saw the look of confusion on his face.

Malcolm, his mind racing in a mass of jumbled memories from both the past and present, tightened his grip on Adaline’s hand. ‘I can’t.. I don’t..’ He looked at Sam. ‘I’m sorry. I’m not sure.. ‘

‘Logan, come. Let’s go back to my place,’ Adaline was growing more concerned at her friend’s reaction to this woman. ‘I’m sorry, he’s still recovering.’

‘Recovering?’ Sam asked, her concern spiking.

‘Please, Adaline. My head..’ 

‘Of course, Logan. We’ll go back.’ Adaline looked apologetically at Sam. 

‘No.’ Malcolm’s eyes locked onto Adaline’s in that moment ‘That’s not me. I’m Malcolm. Malcolm Tucker.’

‘Malcolm.’ Adaline spoke his proper name softly as if testing it out. She turned to Sam, ‘Are you going to be around tomorrow?’

‘Yes. We’re staying at the Cragmhor.’

‘I know the place. I’ll get in touch with you in the morning.’ 

Sam, her hand finding George’s, watched as her boss and her friend walked away with the woman. The way his large hand held Adaline’s and the look of concern that she fixed on him told Sam at least a little about what had already grown between them. 

‘You found him,’ George said quietly.

‘But what have I found?’ Sam asked softly.

‘Something’s happened and tomorrow we’ll talk to Malcolm’s friend and find out what happened.’

‘I’m worried though, George. She seems to be nice but..’ 

‘Course you are. So am I. We’ll get answers tomorrow.’


	22. Chapter 22

For Adaline it was a quiet walk back to the cottage with Logan at her side. Mentally she had to correct herself. His name is Malcolm. Not Logan. Even after they got back, Malcolm remained lost in his own jumbled thoughts and just sat in the chair before the fire. Adaline left him to his memories for the time being and put the groceries away. Then put on some water to boil for tea. With two mugs steaming in her hands, Adaline joined him. 

Malcolm took the mug from her and sipped at it carefully. ‘She’s Sam.’

‘What do you remember of her?’

‘She’s a great PA. She works for me. Has for a long time.’ Malcolm reached over to hold Adaline’s hand tightly. ‘I ran away, Adaline. That’s why I’m here.’

‘What did you run from?”

‘I ran away from a woman I loved.’

Adaline went quiet.

‘Sam has George.’ Malcolm said randomly it seemed. ‘She loves him. He loves her. I always thought of Sam as the friend I would never lose. But then she found George and she became happier, freer, she has a future with him now forever. I’ll just be a friend now. Maybe even one day be forgotten.’

‘So you love Sam?’

‘I’ll always love and adore Sam. As a friend,’ Malcolm admitted. ‘But not love her that way.’

‘Who did you run from then?’ Adaline was a little confused now.

Malcolm stalled a moment by drinking some of his tea. ‘Her name’s Gigi.’

‘You love her?’ Adaline felt her heart began to curl up in a ball in her chest.

‘Thought I did,’ Malcolm slumped in his chair a little bit. ‘Would you run away from someone you love?’

‘I would hope that my love would be strong enough to work through anything,’ Adaline answered him.

‘I’m thinking my love for her wasn’t that strong.’ 

‘Do you remember her now?’ Adaline couldn’t hold back from trying to help him. She knew that he had been ill and that this was something she knew could happen. That Malcolm’s memories would come back and there would be no room in his heart for her then. 

‘I remember enough.’ 

‘I guess tomorrow you’ll return with Sam to London?’

‘I should. I suppose.’ Malcolm couldn’t look at Adaline for the moment. His brows were furrowed. ‘I didn’t.’

‘You didn’t?’

‘I didn’t love her.. Gigi.’ Malcolm rushed out. ‘I settled.’

‘Malcolm. It’s alright.’ Adaline put her arm around his shoulders to hug him as he slumped.

‘I saw Sam finding George, fall in love, be happy. There I was alone, bitter and expecting to be that way till I died.’ Malcolm didn’t hide his wiping away of his tears of frustration. ‘Gigi was young, beautiful, eager. She wanted me. I took it. I thought..’ Malcolm rubbed roughly at his eyes. ‘I thought it was love. It wasn’t. She used me and I think I wound up using her too.’

‘This Gigi is waiting for you back in London then?’ 

‘Yes. At least I think so..’ Malcolm turned to Adaline, his long fingers touching her face gently. ‘I ran away from my relationship with her. I can’t do that. Not to her. Not to you.’

‘Not to yourself,’ Adaline told him firmly. 

‘I still don’t remember everything, Adaline, but I remember enough to know that I came here to the hills for a reason. I know my father brought me here. This is a part of my soul this place.’

‘Then you’ve done the right thing for yourself so far. And keep doing whatever you have to do to make peace within you.’

‘I’m not the man you know. I’m not Logan. I’m Malcolm. I won’t hurt you the way I’m going to wind up hurting Gigi.’

‘You’re being honest, Malcolm. You can’t hurt me if you are always honest with me and to yourself.’


	23. Chapter 23

The following morning, Malcolm got up and went about his now usual routine of making breakfast for the two of them. He had only slept fitfully that night. His mind had been too active, waking up as if he had been drinking coffee all night long. With the spark of memory from seeing Sam again, Malcolm’s memories were coming back quickly. It wasn’t everything yet, but it was enough. What was still there though, had been the peace that he’d found while with Adaline. 

Adaline joined him in the kitchen. She found him staring out the small window towards the hills. ‘Malcolm?’ She stood beside him, slipping an arm around his waist. She rested her head against his shoulder. ‘How are you this morning?’

‘Like a truck ran over me in my sleep. At least in my head.’

‘It’s not painful?’

‘No, not painful. Just things coming back.’ He couldn’t look at her as he said that.

‘You can’t lie to me, you know,’ Adaline reminded him.

‘Not physically painful.’ He smiled at her and then handed her a plate. ‘Breakfast as we talk.’

‘Tell me what’s going on in your head then?’ Adaline picked up the thread as they settled down to their breakfast. 

‘Remembering more about why I left London to come up here.’ Malcolm pushed his egg about on his plate. He laid his fork down suddenly. ‘Adaline, I have to go back to London.’

‘I know you do, Malcolm.’

‘I ran up here to get away from Gigi. I shouldn’t have, but I did. Now, I have to go back and put things to rest.’

Adaline reached over to rest her hand on his. ‘I understand, Malcolm.’

‘I have to tell you everything honestly,’ Malcolm told her. ‘I left Gigi because she’s a drug addict and I didn’t know how to handle her or her friends anymore. I came up here to clear my head and figure out what I was going to do about her.’ 

‘Have you decided what to do?’

‘Yes.’ He paused for a moment. ‘I have to end it with her. I can’t cope with her problems. I’ve tried, but she has to be her own caretaker now. Gigi isn’t the one I love. I thought I did but I don’t. She’s not good for me at all.’ 

‘Oh..’ 

‘It can’t be a good relationship if you run away from the problem instead of talking it out.’

‘Have you ever tried to talk things over with her?’

‘Fuck yes.’ Malcolm replied, his usual habit of cursing coming back. ‘First time I caught her high as a fucking kite, my first thought was to talk to her, find out why she was using and get her help. All she wanted to do was talk sweet to me, have wild sex and then empty my wallet.’

‘And now?’

‘There isn’t even a chance to try to talk. All I can do is limit the money she can get and try to keep the drugs out of my home. That’s what drove me here. I caught her using drugs in my home.’

‘In your own home?’ Adaline clucked in disapproval. ‘That’s disrespectful.’

‘It is. But I should have dealt with it. Not run away.’

‘But now you’re going to go back and handle it. That’s what you have to focus on.’

‘I almost wish my memory never came back,’ Malcolm sighed. ‘So much easier to just stay here and build a life here.’

‘First things first.’ Adaline smiled at him, heartened by his words. 

‘Can’t be a man if I don’t act like one, right?’

‘You are the best man I’ve ever met, Malcolm.’

* * *  
Two hours later, Malcolm was walking up the drive of the Cragmhor with Adaline’s hand in his. Sam and George were sitting in the dining room waiting for them. They had packed their luggage already and stowed it in the boot. Through the window, they watched Malcolm with his hand around Adaline’s and his own luggage in tow.

Sam and George left the inn and soon the men were loading Malcolm’s luggage into their car. 

‘It’s Sam, right?’ Adaline asked.

‘Yes, you’re Adaline?’

‘I am.’ Adaline took Sam’s hand and shook it. ‘Malcolm was telling me about you. His memories are coming back now.’

‘What happened to cause him to lose his memory?’ 

‘He was hiking in the hills. There was a bad rainstorm, left the paths as mudslides. He slipped, fell and knocked his head on one of the rocks. Twisted his ankle and lost his memory. It was starting to come back.’ Adaline smiled at Sam. ‘Seeing you has brought all of it flooding back now.’

‘You don’t look too happy that it has,’ Sam noted.

‘I’m happy that he’s getting his memories back.’

‘But?’

‘What makes me happy isn’t necessarily what’s best for him,’ Adaline nodded at the men.

‘Adaline. The way you too were walking and holding hands..’ Sam turned to the woman, taking her hands in her own. ‘There’s got to be something going on between the two of you.’

‘When he couldn’t remember who he was, yes. Now, maybe not.’

‘He remembers now and I think you’re not going to be forgotten.’ 

‘Once he’s back in London and back to his old life, he’ll forget about me and the quiet hills. Until he comes back on a vacation. That’s what happens.’ 

‘Adaline,’ Sam pulled the other woman into a hug. ‘Believe me, please. You won’t be forgotten. Malcolm won’t do that to you.’

With Malcolm’s luggage in the boot as well, he walked over to where Sam and Adaline were talking. ‘We’re ready to get on the road, Sam. Can I just have a few minutes?’

Sam looked between the two of them a moment before nodding. ‘When you’re ready, Malcolm.’

Malcolm watched Sam head to the car before he turned back to Adaline. He reached up and brushed a wisp of hair back from her forehead. ‘Adaline, this isn’t goodbye. Not between us.’

‘You have your life in London.’

‘I have my life in London, but it’s not love.’

‘Malcolm?’

‘I’m hoping that what you and I have so far is the start of something more.’

‘I hope so too, Malcolm.’

He moved slowly closer to her, his hands holding her face gently as he pressed his lips against hers. The kiss ended and he smiled at her. ‘Once I have my shit together in London, I’ll be back for you.’


	24. Chapter 24

Hours later, the three Londoners pulled into the roadside services for a break and something to drink. George filled up the gas tank while Sam and Malcolm went inside. As they waited in line to order coffee for the road, Sam brought up the subject of Adaline. ‘Adaline is a lovely lady.’

‘She is. She was a godsend on the hills. If it weren’t for her it may have been a bit harder for me to get the help I needed.’

‘I’d say she’s a bit more than just a good samaritan now.’ Malcolm went quiet which only confirmed Sam’s conclusion. ‘Did you talk to her about coming to London at all yet?’

‘Have to take care of one thing before I can think of any future with Adaline.’

‘You gave us a fright disappearing for so long. What if we’d never been able to figure out where you were?’

‘Don’t you start getting all fucking wound up, Sam. You found me and, anyway, I was starting to get my memory back on my own.’

‘And if you hadn’t started to get your memory back?’

‘I was working for the government, Sam. My fingerprints are on record and I’m sure the doctor even in that little twatting village would have figured out that as a means to ID me at some point.’ Malcolm brushed aside her worry. ‘How did you figure out where I was anyway?’

‘Jamie. He joined you up there once.’

‘Really?’ Malcolm scratched at his beard. ‘That was a fucking long time ago. Way back before I became comms director. He hated it.’

‘Jamie is not a hiker,’ Sam agreed. ‘But at least he managed to remember enough for me to find the place and try to find you there.’ Her hand rested on Malcolm’s arm to give him a light squeeze. ‘It’s so good to have you back, Malcolm.’

Malcolm’s gaze softened. ‘I’m sorry to have put you through this, Sam.’

Their conversation was interrupted as it was their turn to order. As they returned to the car Sam joined Malcolm in the back seat. ‘What?’ Malcolm asked.

‘I need to talk to you about things. No point in wasting the time on the road to London.’ 

Back on the motorway again, Sam got down to the nuts and bolts of what had happened while he’d been up in the hills. The work she had done on his drafts and the various requests for public appearances had all been handled as normal. Finally she got to the last outstanding issue. She opened her bag and pulled out the new house keys she’d had to get cut for the new locks. ‘You’ll need this.’

‘New keys?’

‘She was trespassing on your property while you were absent.’

‘Trespassing meaning more than just living quietly?’ Malcolm’s eyebrow shot up as he asked.

‘A bit more than that,’ Sam explained. ‘She went through all of her allowance, probably managed to clean out any money you had salted about your home, and I walked in on her with her friends all higher than kites. I banned her from your place, but she turned up again to try and find more money. She did find some, but since it wasn’t her first time trespassing, I had her arrested.’

‘You had Gigi arrested?’ Malcolm was more shocked than angry. ‘The daft woman actually pushed it that far?’

‘She did.’ 

‘When was this?’

‘A week ago now.’

‘So she’s probably out on bail and at her place. Did you get her any more money at all?’

‘No. I’ve not seen her since she was arrested at your home. I had the locks changed right away and asked the security company to patrol your home regularly.’

‘Thanks.’ Malcolm gazed out the window in thought. ‘You and George were right.’

‘Malcolm?’

‘All this time, both of you said she was wrong for me. She is, was, always will be.’ He stroked his beard. ‘Tomorrow, I’ll call Gigi. Finish things up with her.’


	25. Chapter 25

The next morning, Malcolm woke up alone in his own bed. Naked, he stood in front of the bathroom mirror and furiously scratched at his overgrown beard. ‘Enough of this fucking bear rug.’ 

It took some time, but he finally had a smooth chin and cheeks again. ‘Fuck me.’ He looked at the scattered mess of hair on the counter. Taking a cloth he wiped it all up before leaving the bathroom. When he opened the wardrobe, Malcolm stood a moment thinking something was wrong and then he realized that there was nothing of Gigi’s there. ‘Fucking hell, Sam, you are the best PA ever!’

The next thing Malcolm did, once he was dressed, was go around the house to his various locations of his on hand cash. ‘Fucking christ, she got them all. I’ll need to go to the bank.’ Grabbing his jacket, Malcolm slipped it on and headed out the door. 

At the office, he greeted Sam. ‘Have I mentioned how fucking amazing you are, Sam?’

‘You just did, Malcolm.’ Sam got up and got him a coffee from the small kitchenette they had in the office. 

‘I’ll be going out after lunch, Sam. Have to get to the bank.’ Malcolm nodded his thanks for the coffee. ‘Can you call back Gerald at the publishers for me? Let him know that I’ll be able to do those signings in two weeks. Except that stint out to Australia. I want more than just three stops if I’m going to fly to the sweaty arsehole of the planet.’

‘Will do.’ Sam made a note to herself.

‘I’m going to be on the phone a while I think, Sam. Don’t hold off on going to your lunch if I am.’ Malcolm disappeared into his office. Steeling himself, he picked up the phone and dialled Gigi’s number. When he didn’t get any answer, he tried her mobile number but again got no answer. He didn’t even get a chance to leave her a message. 

‘Odd.’ He muttered to himself. ‘Probably with her friends.’ He was on the phone to first Louisa, then Diane and got nothing coherent from either of them. ‘Fucking useless cunts.’ He went to his office door, ‘SAM!’

Sam responded to his shout and came down the hall to his office. ‘Yes, Malcolm?’

‘Did Gigi change her number while I was gone? Or did she leave any contact details with you?’

‘None at all, Malcolm. Sorry.’

‘Fuck.’ Malcolm went back to his office chair, sitting heavily. ‘Can you get the security company on the phone for me? Maybe they can help locate this ..this..’

‘Woman.’ Sam finished the sentence for him, her tone quite bland.

‘Woman.’ Malcolm said the word with distaste. ‘That’s almost too generous a word for her.’

‘I know, but it’s as basic as we can get.’

‘Was thinking more like addled cunt but..’ Malcolm shrugged. ‘Too many syllables to waste on her.’ He ran a hand through his hair. ‘I need to fucking get this mop cut. Can you book an appointment at the barbers for me? And get the security company on the phone.’

‘Will do, Malcolm.’ Sam turned away to go to her desk, then suddenly turned back to him, threw her arms around him and pecked him on the cheek. ‘It’s great to have you back, Malcolm.’

‘Yeah,’ Malcolm blushed and then hugged her back. ‘Now, get back to fucking work or I’ll rat you out to your husband-to-be that you’re still fucking flirting with me.’

‘As if George is frightened of you,’ Sam smiled and left him to his own thoughts.

Later that day, Malcolm was left with no further progress regarding Gigi. As he state and fumed, Sam was at her desk waiting for George to come by to pick her up at the end of the day. 

‘Hey, Sam.’ George walked into the office. After kissing his fiancée, George handed her the newspaper he had been carrying. ‘You’ll never guess who’s making the news. Check out page 5.’

Sam took the paper from him, glanced at the article and then grinned. ‘May I?’

‘That’s why I brought it to you.’ 

With the paper in her hand, Sam went down the hall to Malcolm’s office. ‘Malcolm?’

‘Hey,’ he looked up at the doorway.

‘Got a bit of news for you.’

‘You’ve got a fucking newspaper in your hand so that’s obvious,’ Malcolm teased. Sam handed it over and watched him read it. ‘Are we sure that this is about her?’

‘It is. That car description matches her friend’s car perfectly and there’s only so many ‘American models’ in the Greater London area.’

‘Figure that she’s still in the lockup?’ 

‘There is the chance that she’s been released on bail.’

‘I need to find out which one she’s at.’ Malcolm picked up his phone. ‘You heading home now?’

‘Do you need me to stay late?’

‘No.’ Malcolm began dialing a number. ‘I have to do this on my own.’

‘I’ll see you tomorrow then.’ Sam left the office as Malcolm’s call was answered.

It didn’t take very long for Malcolm to reach an old friend in the London Police to get the jail that Gigi had been taken to. Unfortunately, his contact wasn’t able to tell him if she were still in the jail. As a result, it took Malcolm a few more minutes to find the number for the specific jail. Then it was a bit longer for him to get any information on her whereabouts. He knew she wouldn’t have any lawyer yet and when he asked which lawyer was handling her case he got blanked. ‘Just let her know that I’ll arrange a lawyer for her and be there in the hour.’

After a call to his lawyer, Malcolm was then in a cab to pick him up and then make their way to the jail. He left it to his lawyer to arrange a meeting with Gigi as he sat in the interview room. It seemed an eternity, but it was only about ten minutes when the door opened and the lawyer was ushering Gigi into the interview room. 

‘Oh! Malcolm! Finally!’ Gigi ran to him, trying to hug him, but he stopped her with a quick grab of her arms to halt her progress. ‘Malcolm?’ Her tone became questioning, but he shook his head and sat back down without inviting her.

‘Ms. Elliott, I’m Charles Sullivan. I’ve been asked to represent you in your current legal matter.’ 

‘Thank you.’ Gigi sat down watching Malcolm the whole time. 

‘I’ve read the report and it seems you were pulled over by a traffic police after you were witnessed weaving between lanes on the motorway. A subsequent impaired driver test came back with a positive result. Mind you, there’s also the small matter of the quantity of cocaine that you had under your seat as well. I imagine that you were picking up enough for you and your friends as the amount was a bit more than most people would presume for personal use by one person. Right now, the maximum penalty for being found guilty of this would be five years in custody and a two year ban from driving. As you’re an American citizen you would then be deported back to the US after whatever sentence has been completed.’ Mr. Sullivan pulled out a notepad. ‘Now, I can see about offering a plea deal for just a driving ban and a fine. The fine may wind up being quite substantial.’

‘Malcolm? You’d be able to take care of that wouldn’t you?’ 

‘No.’ Malcolm said flatly. He gestured to the lawyer who quietly left the two of them alone. 

‘This isn’t like you, Malcolm,’ Gigi finally said. She reached out to take his hand, but he drew it away. ‘What happened?’

‘I’m going to cover my lawyer’s fees for this situation and it will be the last time I help you out.’

Gigi’s eyes narrowed suddenly. ‘What do you mean by last time?’

‘I’m done with you, Gigi. You’re not welcome in my house or office any longer. I won’t be providing any more funds for you either. You’ll have to find your own means.’

‘You can’t just drop me! I love you, Malcolm!’

‘Love?’ Malcolm muttered the word. ‘The only thing you love is your next hit of cocaine. It’s certainly not me.’

‘That’s not true at all, Malcolm. I’ve stood by you the past three years no matter what.’

‘You’ve stood by my bank account that’s what you’ve been hanging around for.’ 

‘I can prove to you that I love you.’ Gigi got up and kneeled beside Malcolm, trying to take hold of his hands in hers.

‘No.’ Malcolm remained calm, too tired of the bullshit to argue. ‘I’m done with you and your addictions. You’ve had all this time to break your addiction. I’ve given you chances to get into rehab that you declined every single time. It’s over. End of. The lawyer will help you cut a deal to get out of a prison sentence.’

‘I can’t do this without you, Malcolm.’ 

‘You were able to run through thousands of pounds up till now. Without my help at all. So, now you can take care of yourself.’ Malcolm got up, leaving her kneeling on the floor. ‘I’ve had the lawyer draw up an agreement for you to read and sign. You leave the UK immediately of your own accord and do not attempt to get any further funds from me.’

Gigi got to her feet. ‘You can’t do this to me, Malcolm. I’m not going to sign anything unless you agree to support me financially for at least five years.’

Malcolm laughed dryly. ‘In your fucking dreams. You’re done. Now. Push it and I go after you for theft.’

‘What theft?’ Gigi challenged him.

‘And trespass. When you went to my home while I was away and cleaned out my cash. I never gave you permission to stay at my home while I was away. You know that.’

‘You’d have to prove that.’

‘Sure, Sam documented the date and time that she found you at my house. As did the security company.’ 

‘I wasn’t..’

‘Shut the fuck up, Gigi. I’m done with you. Cut the deal and go to the US or you go to prison on your own head. Try to go after any more money from me and I will sue you for everything I can from the beginning of our relationship.’

‘There’s nothing to sue me over!’ Gigi flared up at him.

Malcolm’s eyes skewered her. ‘All of the drugs, all of the money, the trespass. You’ve not paid any rent or board. I can go on.’

‘I never did drugs in your home.’

‘Do you really think that after the first time that you showed up high as a fucking kite at my place that I wouldn’t get security cameras set up?’ 

Gigi went pale. ‘You didn’t.’

‘You’re a fucking doped up blonde twat. I didn’t work at Number 10 without knowing all about protecting my own fucking ass. You have your choices and you can decide. My lawyer will let me know what you decide.’ Malcolm walked to the interview room door. ‘There is probably a lovely woman somewhere inside you, Gigi. I hope you find her again. It just won’t be with me.’


	26. Chapter 26

That evening, Malcolm found himself alone at his house. After grabbing an almost empty bottle of scotch, he turned on the TV and sat down. With a current news program droning, Malcolm slowly drank and got lost in his thoughts. On one hand it was a relief to not worry about where Gigi was or what she was doing. On the other hand though, he was faced with a very lonely nightlife now. No one to spend his downtime with or go out with. The bottle slowly emptied as he just drank and watched television. 

Idly, he wondered what Sam was up to with George. He smiled at the thought of his friend and her fiancé. ‘Lucky woman,’ he muttered aloud. ‘Wish I’d managed it myself.’

As he drank the last of the scotch, Malcolm sighed. ‘This is fucking useless.’ He got up and threw the empty bottle in the trash bin. ‘No more time wasted on that cunt.’

* * *  
The next day Malcolm decided, was to finally move on with his life. Back at the office, he got down to the business of his next volume of memoirs. Some of the memories weren’t as clear yet but he was confident they’d all come back to normal soon enough. Sam came in at one point to bring him a coffee.

‘You were drinking last night, weren’t you?’

‘No fooling you at all,’ Malcolm grimaced a little. ‘That’s the last time I’m doing that.’

‘I can’t see you giving up your Scotch forever,’ Sam teased gently.

‘Not forever just over her.’ 

‘That’s the best thing I’ve heard you say in a while.’ 

‘If I’d not been a fucking idiot, I would have listened to you years ago. Even that fucking man of yours knew better.’

‘It’s done, Malcolm,’ Sam reassured him. ‘Look to the future.’

‘Future? Work, eat, shit and sleep. Not much more than that now.’

‘Don’t stress about it, Malcolm. She won’t be the last woman in your life.’

‘Hmph.’ Malcolm grunted. ‘Not sure I’m ready for another just yet.’

‘I think you already are.’ Sam stood there looking at him. ‘I wouldn’t recommend running off and losing your memory again to find someone though.’

‘No, I promise. I won’t do that again. I’ll let you know anywhere I go for vacation.’ Malcolm grinned at her. ‘Speaking of vacations, you haven’t booked time off yet for that honeymoon of yours. You going to leave right after the wedding?’

Sam blushed a little. ‘We’re hoping to. There’s a resort we want to go to but they’re booked solid right now so we’re looking for another place similar.’

‘But you don’t want to compromise, do you?’ 

‘Not really. If we have to wait two weeks to get a room then we will.’

‘Let me know the resort. I’ll work on them for you.’ 

‘No, you won’t!’ Sam told him firmly. ‘I’m not going to have you start bollocking the bookings department at the resort we want to stay at.’

‘Offer is always there,’ Malcolm said. ‘Anyway, Sam. I think I’m going to call it a night. You take off early too if you like.’

‘What are you up to tonight then?’

‘Going to go get some groceries and then call it a night.’ Malcolm got up. ‘Probably head to bed early. I still get some headaches.’

‘Maybe you should see your GP tomorrow.’

‘No, they go away quickly with a paracetamol. I’ll see you next week, Sam.’


	27. Chapter 27

Saturday morning, Malcolm woke up alone. In his half-asleep state, he made his way to the kitchen and set the coffee going. Hungry, he pulled out some bacon, eggs and cheese and was soon frying up the bacon. Without thinking, he cracked the eggs into a bowl to mix them up. He added in some salt, pepper and other favourite seasonings. As the omelette cooked, Malcolm turned to the cupboard and took down two plates. 

‘Shit.’ Malcolm grunted in annoyance and put one of the plates back. 

Moments later, he sat down at the table to quietly eat. Memories of his breakfasts with Adaline made him sigh softly. He realized that he missed those times with her. 

‘Fucking idiot. Time to move on. No way a lass like that is going to want to keep up with a city boy like me.’ 

Later in the day, Malcolm had finished all of his chores around the house and had nothing better to do. Pulling on his jacket, he went for a walk. He didn’t even care where he was going, it was just to be out and away from his empty house. Malcolm’s steps took him to a large park about a mile away from his house. He got himself a coffee and settled onto a park bench.

Lost in thought, he sipped his coffee and let the world move around him. The occasional joyous screech of a child running by or mad barking of a dog chasing after a chewed ball only barely caught his attention. Even with the hubbub of the park, just sitting there took Malcolm back to the time he had spent with Adaline just sitting on her porch on the bench to watch the occasional bird fly by or squirrels chasing around the yard. 

It had been so drastically different from what Malcolm’s life would normally have been before his accident. With Gigi it was all about which restaurant to go out to, where was there a party to go to, how crazy the sex would be. Now, with Adaline, it had been just sitting, talking, relaxing, cooking together in her small kitchen. Eating at the kitchen table, then having a good cup of tea to wind down with. The two couldn’t have been more opposite. As he sat there and thought about his life, Malcolm couldn’t help but think how much he had lost by staying with Gigi for so long; how he put up with things that he oughtn’t to have. Then how much more peace he had found with Adaline. 

‘Sir?’ A young boy stood in front of Malcolm. ‘Our ball?’

Malcolm looked at the boy, not realizing he was scowling fiercely at his own thoughts. The young boy looked at him fearfully. He flicked a look downward to see the football up against his foot. Malcolm softened his gaze and smiled at the young boy. ‘Your side winning?’

‘We’re tied.’

‘Good luck then, lad.’ Malcolm nudged the ball to send it the boy’s way.

The boy ran off without another thought.

If only he could run away so easily, Malcolm thought to himself. He wished he had never got his memory back and that he were still back in Balquhidder and with Adaline. ‘Fuck it.’ He muttered and got up. Malcolm jammed his hands into his jacket pockets and headed back towards his home.


	28. Chapter 28

Back on the hills of Balquhidder, Adaline was sitting on her porch with a hot mug of tea. As the evening sun began to slip behind the hilltops, her tea slowly emptied as she pondered her current situation. It was just like any other evening in the slow season, relaxed and easy. Without any groups to guide around the hills, she had happily tended her garden throughout the day. 

It had only been a week since Malcolm had left to return to his life in London and Adaline had wondered constantly what the man was up to back in the city. A smile crossed her face. She pictured him cooking dinner and then sitting with his own cup of tea to unwind. Probably back to his busy life and the constant go go go of the city, she thought. 

A black squirrel scampered close to the porch to grab up some of the cuttings from her garden, munching through it to find tasty bits to take to a heading spot for the winter. Adaline sat still and just watched it scrounging until it finally ran off with a twitch of his tail and stuffed cheeks. 

Suddenly her phone pinged loudly enough to make her start. Looking at it she found a message from one of her contacts that arranged guided hiking tours. Adaline agreed to a group tour on the weekend and then hung up. Before she slipped her phone back into her pocket, Adaline smiled at the screen. A picture that Malcolm had taken of them on her phone had become her wallpaper. It was when they were on the hill, having a picnic when it was a rare sunny day. She remembered the feeling of his hands on her when he had kissed her. It had been long enough since her last relationship and having Malcolm around the house had felt so very right to her. She had to think that he had felt the same. He had said he’d be back for her. Adaline believed that in her heart.


	29. Chapter 29

After a weekend of trying to find Adaline’s number on his own, Malcolm showed up at the office on the Monday in a bit of an annoyed mood. He hoped that Sam’s contacts would get him what he needed. With a couple of coffees in hand from the local cafe, Malcolm walked in and handed her one. ‘Morning, Sam.’

‘Morning, Malcolm.’ Sam took the coffee from him. ‘What’s prompted the morning coffee?’

‘Need your help, Sam.’

‘I do work for you on a regular pay that wouldn’t need bribing.’

‘This isn’t for the regular work,’ Malcolm admitted. ‘Need you to help me find a phone number.’

‘Oh?’

‘I never got Adaline’s number before I left. Never had to use it when I was there with her.’

‘It’s unlisted then?’ 

‘Apparently. Any listings I could access were coming up with nothing. Do you still have that friend of yours at the police?’

‘I don’t think that getting the number through my police contact is really a good idea, Malcolm. That’s really only something I would do in a crisis. Did you not give her your number at all?’

‘I couldn’t remember my own name let alone my fucking mobile number,’ Malcolm’s frustration crept higher. 

‘Let’s think about this, Malcolm, before you go off on one.’ Sam ushered him into his office. With a notepad at hand she sat down across from him. ‘I’m guessing you checked the public listings?’

‘Of course. Started locally and went from there. Nothing comes up in her name at all.’

‘Business?’

‘She doesn’t have a business proper. As far as I know she does ad hoc tours for folks hiking through the trails out of Balquhidder. Her cottage is right at a number of different trails that people can take. Even while I was there she had a handful of folks just walking up and asking for a guide. All cash.’ 

‘Was it just walk up tours then?’

‘No, she had a few calls for scheduled jobs. Some tour company I think sends her the work.’

‘That wouldn’t be cash jobs then.’

‘No, I never saw any cash. She doesn’t have much by way of costs and her cottage has been in the family for generations so there’s no mortgage on it.’

‘Quite the gig then,’ Sam was impressed. ‘Do you know the tour company at all?’

‘I never spoke to them.’ 

‘Okay, let me see what I can do here for you, Malcolm.’ Sam made some notes on her notepad. ‘And don’t mope. It doesn’t suit you. You’ve got some requests waiting on email that you need to look at for some interviews. Focus on those for now.’

‘Fucking interview bullshit.’ Malcolm grumbled as he turned on his computer.

Sam went to her own desk and began to work her magic. It took a lot of searching and calls for her to find the right tour operator that Adaline worked with, but she did find it. What they wouldn’t do though was give her Adaline’s direct number. ‘Fair enough,’ Sam agreed. ‘Can you please pass on our office number to her. Please let her know that it’s Malcolm trying to reach her.’

Malcolm had heard her on the phone and was at her desk before the phone hit the cradle. ‘Well?’

‘All we can do is wait for the message to be passed on to Adaline.’

‘There’s always the police contact.’

‘No, Malcolm. We’re not going that route.’

‘But what if she doesn’t answer?’

‘Well, you do know where she lives.’

‘This is not fucking helping me, Sam,’ Malcolm grumbled.

‘Go back to your office, Malcolm,’ Sam told him off.

‘But..’

‘Office! Now!’ 

Malcolm grunted and retreated to his office.


	30. Chapter 30

Sam was at her desk three days later when the phone rang. ‘Hello?’

‘I’m looking for Malcolm Tucker, please.’ The soft-spoken voice threw Sam off at first. 

‘May I ask who’s calling?’

‘It’s Adaline Atwood.’

‘Adaline!’ Sam couldn’t believe it. ‘I’ll get Malcolm on the phone for you.’

‘Thank you.’ Adaline only had to wait a moment before she heard Malcolm on the phone.

‘Adaline! How have you been?’

‘I’ve been good. It’s been rather quiet around the place.’

‘I know, without my loud arse around the place you’ve got your peace and quiet back again.’

‘Oh no, it wasn’t that at all, Malcolm,’ Adaline said quickly. ‘I meant that I’ve missed you being around.’

‘Have you?’ Malcolm sounded unsure as he had truly thought she wouldn’t want to carry on with the real him.

‘I have,’ Adaline was suddenly feeling rather shy and hesitant.

‘I’ve missed you too,’ Malcolm found himself smiling broadly. ‘I was kicking myself for not getting your number before I left and I never thought to leave you my number.’

‘You were only just getting your memory back, Malcolm.’

‘Still..’

‘Let me give you my number now.’ Adaline gave him her mobile number. ‘Malcolm?’

‘Adaline?’

‘I have to be honest with you,’ Adaline sat in front of her fireplace as she spoke on the phone to him. ‘I didn’t think I’d hear back from you at all.’

‘I almost didn’t get a chance to without your number at hand. You’re a hard lady to track down.’

‘Well, you know where I live.’

Malcolm laughed out loud. ‘Sam said the same thing to me! And if I hadn’t got hold of you by phone I would have been heading up there again sooner rather than later to get that number of yours properly.’

‘You would have come up here just for my number?’

‘And to see you again,’ Malcolm admitted. ‘I know I’m not the same man that I was when you helped me out, but I want to try and see if there’s still something there.’

‘Could it work though, Malcolm? Just even trying? You’re so far away.’

Malcolm felt his heart tighten in his chest a little. ‘I’m willing to try if you are.’

‘I am willing, Malcolm. To try.’

‘Good. Maybe I could call you tonight? Chat from home?’

‘I wouldn’t mind that,’ Adaline left the conversation at that for now.

‘SAM!’ Malcolm left the office, feeling like he’s on cloud nine. ‘Take down Adaline’s number and save it for me. I’ve got it in my phone now too.’

‘I’ve already got it, Malcolm,’ Sam was trying to not chuckle at the state he was in. ‘What’s going on then?’

‘We’re going to have another chat tonight.’

‘More than just tonight, I’m thinking.’


	31. Chapter 31

Malcolm had thought to surprise Adaline by just showing up the next weekend on her doorstep, but a call from his lawyer made him howl in frustration. Sam came running into his office. ‘What’s wrong, Malcolm?’

‘That cunt is actually thinking of suing me for support now!’

‘Even with the threat of jail over her head?’

‘Apparently the cunt has decided to not take my offer, feels that her own lawyer can get her off the charges and get support from me. Or at the fucking least some lump sum pay off.’

‘What are you going to do?’ Sam couldn’t believe what his ex was trying to do. 

‘I’m going to have the fucking book thrown at the shit sucking cunt and then watch her shrivel up and fucking migrate her way back to the fucking sewers in whatever fucking cesspool she came from over in the States.’ Malcolm stormed about his office. ‘That! That is what I’m going to fucking do to the cunt!’

‘What’s your lawyer saying?’ Sam asked, trying to cut into his rampage.

‘My lawyer? That teat sucking mince thinks I should cut some sort of fucking deal!’

‘Malcolm, sit down.’ Sam took hold of the enraged Scot’s arm and got him to sit down. ‘Breathe.’

‘Sam, stop this!’ He shrugged her off, but Sam would have none of it.

‘Did you take any notes?’

‘No, I didn’t fucking take notes. He said he was sending me an email with the details.’

‘Did you yell at him?’ Sam asked, leaning around him to call up his emails.

‘Of course I fucking yelled at the twat! He wanted to cut a deal!’

‘Malcolm, you really need to calm down a bit before you react.’ Sam had to swat at his hands as he tried to push her away. ‘Stop that or else..’ Malcolm grumped at her and then stopped. ‘Thank you.’ Sam took a few minutes and found the email that his lawyer had sent him. ‘Oh, Malcolm. You weren’t listening to him at all.’

‘What?’

‘Yes, Gigi has rejected your offer and thinks she can try to get a payout, but your lawyer is already planning on a means to block her efforts.You didn’t let him explain it to you at all.’ Sam pointed at the monitor. ‘He’s already forwarded to the crown information that you’ve had about Gigi’s drug use not to mention the agreements that she had signed when you first got serious with her that preclude her having an option to sue for any support. Only support she can get is by negotiated agreement between the two of you as you never moved past the casual relationship.’

‘What?’ Malcolm was peering at the email himself now. ‘Oh.’ He felt himself going red.

‘Call him back and let him know that you’ve read over his email and you agree with his plan.’ Sam straightened up. ‘And before you get to that, you apologize to him.’ 

‘I will. I just want to read this over properly first.’

‘And then once you’ve done that, go home and relax. Call Adaline.’

‘Sam!’

‘I’m not a fool, Malcolm. I know that she means a lot to you.’

‘Adaline is all the way up in Scotland. She’s not here.’

‘Then maybe you should try to get her here.’

Malcolm looked aghast at Sam’s suggestion. ‘There is absolutely no way that I would even THINK of trying to convince her to leave the hills.’

‘Then think about taking yourself up there,’ Sam countered. 

‘But..’

‘Think about it, Malcolm. Just think about it.’ Sam left him sitting in his chair without a chance to respond at all.


	32. Chapter 32

‘How did your day go, Malcolm?’ Adaline sat in her favourite chair, sipping her tea with a fire going in the fireplace. The phone was cradled on her shoulder. The only thing better, she thought, would have been for Malcolm to be sitting beside her.

‘Stressful today,’ Malcolm admitted as he stood in his kitchen. He was making himself a cup of tea to sip along with Adaline as they spoke. 

‘What happened then?’

‘Well..’ Malcolm ran a hand through his short, greying hair. ‘It’s awkward.’

‘You know you can talk to me about anything, Malcolm. You certainly opened up when you were here.’

‘I didn’t know myself when I was there,’ Malcolm admitted.

‘You may not have remembered details, Malcolm, but I felt you were true with me about your emotions.’

‘I tried to as much as I could.’ 

‘I know you did,’ Adaline spoke confidently and soothingly. ‘Tell me what’s eating at you. No matter how awkward it is.’

Malcolm sat down in his chair and put his feet up on the ottoman. ‘I know I’ve not really said much about it, but I did have a girlfriend.’

Adaline listened even as her heart seemed to tighten in fear. ‘I did get that idea since you’ve been calling me.’

‘She’s an ex now,’ Malcolm rushed out. 

‘Oh?’ Her heart lightened once more.

‘It’s just fucking messy.’ Malcolm’s more natural style was coming out as he became more comfortable talking to Adaline on the phone. He did hear the soft noise of dislike at his choice of words, but he didn’t let it bother him. ‘I probably should never have let the relationship carry on so long, but I did. Paying for it now. It’s getting to be a legal case now.’

‘Legal? In what way?’ 

‘She’s trying to get financial support from me. I’m trying to not turn it into a criminal case as she was doing drugs in my home while I was up in the hills with you. I’m not taking any pleasure in it, but I’m not going to get fucking sucked into handing over my money to a drug addict to feed her habit.’

‘Oh my,’ Adaline hadn’t known about the drug habit.

‘I know. It’s awkward to admit.’

‘Well, when you love someone you don’t necessarily see them as they truly are.’

‘Maybe I didn’t, but Sam saw it. She tried to tell me and I shut it out.’

‘Again, you loved her.’

Malcolm sighed. ‘I don’t think I ever did. It was probably more lust than anything else. It certainly was nowhere near how I feel about you.’

‘Malcolm. I’m..’ Adaline didn’t know how to respond immediately.

‘It’s okay, Adaline. I know how I feel about you, but I’m also not going to kid myself that nothing changed when I got my memory back. I have to work on wooing you all over again.’

‘Oh, Malcolm,’ Adaline sighed with a mix of sadness and hopefulness. ‘I don’t think you’re all that different from what you were like when you were here.’

‘But?’ Malcolm could hear it in her tone.

‘Well..’ She paused and then said, ‘You do cuss a bit now, don’t you?’

Malcolm could only laugh. ‘You have no idea, love! But being a bit more serious, does it bother you?’

‘I’m not keen on foul language to be honest.’ 

‘Being honest myself, I don’t know if I could ever fully stop the cursing, but I’ll try around you.’ Malcolm emptied his cup of tea. ‘Speaking of being around you, would you want to come down to London maybe?’

‘Oh gosh, Malcolm, I can’t right now. I’ve got a number of booked groups for guided hikes over the next three weeks. I maybe have a day off here and there only.’

‘Well, if I’m still welcome, I could show up there for a visit. For a day or two this time, not a month.’ 

‘Of course you’re still welcome, Malcolm. Just let me know when you want to drop by.’

‘I’ll have a look at my calendar tomorrow and make sure I don’t have any press gigs to do and then I can find out when you’ll have a day off.’

‘Call me tomorrow night then?’

‘Every night I can, love.’


	33. Chapter 33

Eight days later Malcolm was shutting off his computer when Sam came into his office. ‘That you off to see Adaline now then?’

‘I am. I’m taking an overnight train up north so I’ll be back Thursday. If you want to take the time off yourself you’re welcome to it.’ He shrugged his jacket on. ‘Paid off of course.’

‘I’ll come in anyway. George is busy at work and I can work on those drafts you’ve been writing. Get them put into date order for you.’

‘Seriously, Sam. Take some time off. Don’t you have a fucking wedding to plan for.’

‘That isn’t for another 6 months, Malcolm, and I’m planning it with George. Not on my own. And he can’t just get random time off his job.’

‘He needs a better fucking job then,’ Malcolm said, not meaning it. ‘I’ll have my phone with me if you have any questions about the drafts.’

‘If you think I’d even think about bothering you while you’re off visiting Adaline then you, Malcolm, need to really rethink what I actually do as your PA.’

‘You just keep being the perfect PA that you are now and have always been, Sam.’ Malcolm shot her a smile and then headed out the door. He only had to make a quick stop at his place to grab his small suitcase before he headed to the train station. It would take 10 hours, but then he’d have two days to be with Adaline. He’d already called ahead to a restaurant he knew well in Edinburgh that he wanted to take her to for a long romantic meal. All he needed to do when he got there was arrange for a car to pick them up in the village and drive them there and back. 

As the train pulled out of the station, Malcolm had nothing else to do but gaze out the window and think about how he would woo Adaline. While there was the history of their time when he didn’t have his memory, it still felt like a new relationship for him. Their chats on the phone were only a poor copy of the talks they had had on her cottage porch or in front of the fire. He wanted that back. Malcolm wanted Adaline back. 

Malcolm’s thoughts stilled suddenly. He didn’t just want Adaline back. He wanted her to be a part of his life permanently.


	34. Chapter 34

Back in Balquhidder, Adaline had gone to bed later than normal as her walking group had been slower than her usual pace. It had been quite dark on the path as they had found their way back to the cottage. There she had offered them hot cups of tea and a break before leading them down the last short section of the path to the car park. She saw them off and went back up to her cottage at a fast pace. Now, it was her turn to sit with tea in front of the fire until sleep called to her. Or as best she could sleep. 

Adaline was feeling a bit nervous over Malcolm coming back to visit her for the first time since he had left with his restored memory. A small corner of her mind wished it was Logan coming back to her. She had finally admitted to herself once Malcolm had left that if he had never regained his memory she would have been quite happy to build on her and Logan’s relationship further. Despite her having promised to herself years ago that she’d not get involved with another man so deeply. 

Her conversations with Malcolm had been as comfortable as they had been with Logan. He remembered everything they had talked about. There was still a subtle difference between Logan and Malcolm. Logan had been transparent and open and soft. Malcolm held something back and when he did what she saw as the softness of Logan became a little harder. It wasn’t that it drove her away at all however it put just that little bit of distance between. With Logan it was as if she could melt entirely in his arms. With Malcolm, she found herself holding back.

Adaline didn’t want to feel that way again. It reminded her too much of her past relationship. She would give Malcolm a chance though. Maybe Logan was still inside him. Adaline held the spare pillow that Malcolm had used while he was there, tight in her arms. 

In the morning, Adaline was still sleeping when Malcolm arrived at the cottage door. He knocked softly and got no response. He hesitated. Malcolm wanted to let himself in and surprise her, but should he? Did he still have the same rights that he did when he was staying with Adaline before? Why the fuck was he now feeling like some virginal intern that was too scared to even piss his own pants? How many fucking times had he woken up before Adaline and got her breakfast. Sure it had been while he had lost his memories, but it’s still been him. With that in mind, Malcolm let himself in, set his bag by the door and went right to the kitchen. 

The smell of frying bacon woke Adaline. Sitting up in bed, she smiled first thinking it was Logan, then the small thought of doubt crept back in as she realized it would be Malcolm. It was still two separate men in her mind. With her feet warm and cozy in her slippers, Adaline pulled her housecoat on, tightening the belt snugly. Entering the kitchen, Adaline spotted the plate already for her to sit down to bacon and eggs. ‘Malcolm, you really didn’t have to go to all this trouble.’

‘It’s not trouble at all and I badly wanted to make you breakfast again. Now, sit and enjoy. I’ll get you a cup of coffee.’

‘I ran out of sugar the other day though. I don’t take it myself so I haven’t been to the shop to buy more for you to have with yours.’

‘Your lucky day then.’ Malcolm set a cup down before her and poured her a cup. ‘Without my memory I had no idea how I actually liked my coffee. Believe it or not, I like my coffee with only a small amount of cream in it. No sugar.’

‘But you were taking it with three spoonfuls before.’

‘It seemed the thing to do. What it turned out being is the way my father took his coffee. That’s what I was remembering.’ Malcolm sat across from her with his own plate. ‘That’s why I had come up here to Balquhidder. To be where I’d spent so many holidays with my father to get away from the city and his work. And I think he needed some man time away from my mother as well. Because I had my father on my mind at the time I knocked myself out, some of his habits kicked in that I could remember.’

‘Oh,’ Adaline tried to not look crestfallen.

‘Don’t get me wrong, Adaline. Some of the habits like how much sugar I drank my coffee with may have been from my father but it wasn’t what I was as a man.’

‘Was I that obvious?’

‘Not obvious, but I’ve been thinking a lot about you since I left. Figured it may be how you thought of it once you knew.’

‘I have too,’ Adaline admitted. ‘Thinking about you a lot that is.’

‘And the other?’

‘I know you’re the same man but..’

‘It’s still two different men to your mind?’

‘Yes.’ 

‘I know it’s the same me still, if that makes any sense. I want you to know though,’ Malcolm reached out to take her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze of reassurance. ‘Looking back at that time is like watching back a silent movie almost. I know it’s me but it’s not quite me.’

‘That’s a good way to describe it.’

‘I’m hoping that you’ll see that it was me the whole time.’

‘I want to, Malcolm.’

‘But you’re not there yet?’

‘Not yet.’

‘Then I better work my fucking ass off to prove it to you.’ He grinned at her.

‘Logan never needed to curse.’

‘Neither did my father. He hated it.’

‘I’m not fond of it myself.’

‘Oh,’ Malcolm pursed his lips. ‘I can’t guarantee perfection.’

‘I don’t expect it Malcolm.’

‘I can promise to try.’

‘That’s fine by me.’

‘Can I also try to win your heart properly?’

‘Malcolm?’

‘Replaying that kiss on the hillside in a silent movie format is only going to hold me over for so long.’

Adaline blushed.

‘I’m not wrong, am I?’

‘Not entirely,’ Adaline admitted.

‘But?’

‘You have a history. I know that now.’

‘I did. That relationship is well and truly over. Being with you I know how wrong it was for me. My decision to come to the hills was the right one.’

‘You’re not the only one with a history.’

‘You didn’t seem to have anyone on the go while I was here before.’

‘Not currently, Malcolm. From before.’

‘Still lingers.’

‘Yours still does too.’

‘Mine’s recent, yours?’

‘Not recent, but enough to still weigh on my mind.’

‘How heavy?’

‘It feels a bit wrong to talk to you about it, Malcolm.’

‘Would you have told Logan?” 

Adaline hadn’t been ready for that question at all. She had to think a moment, biting her lip as she did. ‘I don’t think I would have.’

‘Why not?’

‘With Logan there was no baggage at all. I wouldn’t have wanted to burden him with mine.’

‘That’s bull..’ Malcolm paused. ‘Bullcrap.’

‘My insecurities are mine. They’re not necessarily meant to be.. Shared.’

‘This is me, now. Not the blank slate of Logan. I want to share everything with you. This is who I am, warts and all. I’ll be honest with you.’

‘Oh, Malcolm. I believe you I just..’

‘I don’t expect you to spill your guts immediately. Or even if you never do, it doesn’t change the way I’m feeling about you. Never will.’

Adaline stood up suddenly, clearing their plates away. She hadn’t been ready for this conversation at all. 

‘Honest, Adaline. That’s what I'll always be with you.’

‘I can’t be the same with you yet, Malcolm.’

‘I can accept that.’ Malcolm watched her fuss about at the sink, her back to him. 

‘Can you accept that I’m going to try to win your heart over properly?’

She turned back to him, ‘That I can accept.’

‘Good.’ He got up and gently kissed her on the cheek. ‘How about we get this mess cleaned up and then go for a walk in the hills? I have a dinner date arranged for this evening.’

‘You can stay in the guest room again, if you like.’

‘I was hoping you’d let me. Never bothered to book in at the b&b.’

‘Cheeky man.’

‘I’m a Scotsman, did you expect anything else?’

Adaline shook her head with a chuckle and threw him a dishcloth to dry.


	35. Chapter 35

Later that day, Adaline was leading the way up the path. Malcolm had a knapsack that held a lunch for them to share once they reached their favourite spot on the hills. He’d snuck in a bottle of wine into the bag without Adaline noticing. 

‘Sounds like your guided tours are picking up again. I thought this would still be a quiet time for you on the hills.’

‘This is quiet for us here. The tours are for small groups or couples just looking for a day out and wanting to do something different. Most folks on holiday at this time of year go to a beach instead of here, but we have diehards and clueless people that turn up.’

‘That put me in the diehard group?’

‘No, you’re in the locals group,’ Adaline said over her shoulder towards him.

‘Oh? The locals?’

‘Yes.’

‘What grants me that privilege?’

‘The fact that you know the route yourself and you really don’t need me to be the lead.’

‘How’d you know?’

‘I stopped telling you about that gulley to watch for after the first time. You knew about before I had said anything. It takes someone a fair number of trips up and down the paths to learn to avoid it by nature.’

‘You are good,’ Malcolm laughed. ‘I’d still rather you do the leading.’

‘Malcolm!’ Adaline twigged to his meaning very quickly.

‘Can you blame me, Adaline?’

‘Oh you..’ Adaline began to walk faster to challenge him.

Malcolm was left to catch up as she quickly made her way up the hill to leave him behind.

Adaline didn’t give up her lead by even a foot until she reached the picnic spot. Malcolm was breathing hard when he arrived. ‘That was cruel.’

‘You’re a local, Malcolm, you should be able to get up and down the hill easily,’ Adaline teased him.

‘Soon enough, love.’ Malcolm took a moment to catch his breath and then pulled the picnic blanket out of the knapsack. With a flourish he laid it on the ground and smoothed it down. ‘There you are my fair princess. A throne of flannel in the hills made for you.’

‘If I didn’t know you so well, Malcolm, I’d say you were courting me.’

‘There you would be wrong then, Adaline.’ Malcolm held out a hand to help her to sit on the blanket. ‘That is exactly what I am doing.’

‘You don't have to.’ 

‘I want to. Properly.’ Malcolm sat down beside her and began to pull out their lunch. ‘I don’t want it to just be some invalid falling for his nurse cliche.’

‘As if you were ever an invalid.’

‘Maybe not an invalid but you were one hell of a nurse. I just..’

‘What?’

‘I want you, Adaline,’ Malcolm admitted openly to her. ‘I want you as more than just a grateful patient towards his nurse. I want you to love me as much as I’ve come to love you.’

Adaline still hesitated.

‘This is why I want to court you properly. You still think Logan and I are two entirely different people. Similar but different. I want you to love me as me.’

‘It’s not that entirely.’

‘Tell me,’ Malcolm took her hand in his.

‘It’s not that easy.’

‘Someone? Something?’

‘Yes. Someone.’

‘We all have a past, love.’

‘I know, Malcolm. Some people can just move past their past faster.’

‘Tell me as much or as little as you want. I’m here for you.’

‘It’s not that easy to talk about my past, Malcolm,’ Adaline admitted in a soft voice. ‘I trusted someone with my heart once and they broke that trust. It’s hard to trust that much again.’

‘I understand, love. When you want to talk I’m here to listen.’ Malcolm’s fingers gently squeezed around hers to reassure her. ‘In your time though.’

‘Thank you, Malcolm. I’m just not ready yet.’

‘Just remember, Adaline, even if you never tell me, I’m still going to love you.’

‘Can you love me even if I don’t tell you everything?’ Adaline asked.

‘Just watch me.’ Malcolm smiled warmly at her and leaned in for a soft, exploring kiss. Adaline hesitated at first, but Malcolm won her over, for the moment at least.

* * *   
Two days went by too quickly for the couple. Malcolm didn’t really want to leave her and go back to London he realized, but he had a book draft to work on and judging by the texts he’d been ignoring from Sam, there were some press interviews that his publisher wanted him to do. He stood at the roadside with his small suitcase with Adaline at his side as he waited for his cab to arrive to take him back to Edinburgh. She had walking tours booked as well and while Malcolm knew he would have been welcome to stay on and even join her on the tours, his contract with his publishers meant that he had to go back.

‘Maybe you could come down to London in a few weeks?’ Malcolm asked.

‘I have walks booked every weekend for the next few months, Malcolm.’ 

‘Even if its during the week, you can stay at my place. I do have a guest room and a larger kitchen. I could cook you a curry.’

Adaline turned to face him, her hands on his chest as she looked at him. ‘I’m just not a city girl, Malcolm. I like the hills and the village life.’

‘It would just be a visit.’

‘I’ll think about it Malcolm. Not just yet though.’

‘Fair enough, love.’ A cab pulled up and Malcolm kissed her before he got in. He rolled down the window. ‘I’ll call you from the train station, love.’


	36. Chapter 36

Malcolm fell into a routine once he returned to London. Evenings at home were more often spent on the phone with Adaline and during the day he went to his office and worked on the draft of his third volume of memoirs. It still astounded him that people actually bought the gossip laden shit he wrote, but it was a lot like how the press ate up all of the press releases he had overseen at Number 10. His books were more salacious at times and let people glimpse at what had taken place behind the scenes.

Sam had to work just as hard with Malcolm in his current frame of mind. Malcolm used people’s real names and it was up to her to rework them with the aliases they had agreed upon. She still smiled to herself on occasion when she thought about how explosive it would be if there were any written record of which alias was used for certain people in the books. Not even the lawyers had a record like that. Safest that way, Malcolm had decided when he had signed the initial contract. 

For now though, the third volume would be the last. There was an open ended option for a fourth one, but that would be further down the road, Malcolm had decided. That volume would relate to the final two years when the party had been defeated and the Goolding Inquiry had blown it all up and made the back room culture of the workings of government public knowledge. 

‘I’m falling behind here, Malcolm. What’s driving you so hard to finish this?’ Sam asked as Malcolm announced another chapter ready for editing.

‘Take your time, Sam. There’s no rush on your part.’

‘But there is for you?’

‘I have my reasons.’

‘Good reasons regarding Adaline?’

‘You know me too fucking well, Sam.’ 

‘That’s why you keep me on to work for you.’ Sam watched him get his jacket on. ‘When are you going up to see her again?’

‘Next week. I’m thinking of going up from Tuesday to Sunday if she doesn’t have a large group on a tour.’

‘Why not just go for the whole week?’

‘I was going to ,but Adaline has a large tour that’s not leaving until late Monday and as it’s for one of her larger tour group clients, she wanted to focus on it without me around.’

‘You wouldn't be able to help?’

‘No. It’s something of a contract deal she has with them. Anyway, I’m off for the evening.’

‘Before you go, Malcolm, I wanted to just give you a heads up that George and I are booking the hall for our wedding. There’s a few dates were thinking of and you don’t have anything on your calendar as yet. Do you mind if we pick the date and I’ll schedule you in for it as well?’

‘Of course you can, Sam. Just keep me posted on the date. I’ll need to know when to get you your wedding gift before then.’

‘And you’ll want to bring Adaline along I’m sure,’ Sam added casually.

‘Well, I’d like to think that she’ll accept my invitation.’

‘You think she wouldn’t?’

‘It’s all going to depend on her tours and if we’re still seeing each other then. That’s months away yet.’

‘Why not ask her about it tonight when you talk to her.’

‘I’ll see, Sam. I’ll see.’ Malcolm headed home. 

* * *  
When he did call Adaline that evening he almost forgot entirely to mention the subject of Sam and George’s wedding. ‘Adaline, love, I have to ask if you’d be up to joining me at the wedding of Sam and George?’

‘A wedding?’

‘Yeah, Sam’s finally going to set a date for her and George to get married. They’ve been talking about it for a few years now.’

‘When is it?’ Adaline still hesitated slightly as flickers of her own memories came to the fore.

‘Not for about 5 months. They’ll be booking the hall in the next few days. I know you have the tours and all, so I guess giving you as much notice as possible would be best.’

‘I suppose I could go with you if you like, Malcolm.’

‘You don’t sound excited.’

‘Well, it’s not like I know Sam or her fiancé all that well. Only through you and even you and I are relatively recent.’

‘If you don’t want to go at all I’ll understand, love.’

‘It’s not that I don’t want to go with you, Malcolm, it just seems a bit soon to ask about a date 5 months away.’

‘There’s something else isn’t there, Adaline? I can sense it in your voice.’

‘I’d rather not talk about it on the phone, Malcolm.’

‘I’ll be there on Tuesday as promised.’


	37. Chapter 37

The following Tuesday Malcolm arrived at Adaline’s cottage. He no longer needed to bring a bag with him as Adaline had set him up with a small dresser in the guest room. 

Despite his numerous return visits to Adaline’s home once he had regained his memory, he hadn’t pushed the relationship too quickly. He still stayed in the guest room when he visited, although Adaline was more accepting of his kisses and wish to be close to her as often as he could by way of slipping an arm around her shoulders or waist. 

Since the evening when he had invited her to Sam’s wedding, Malcolm’s curiosity had been driving him mad. He wanted to know what it was that Adaline hadn’t wanted to talk to him about over the phone. It was the same curiosity that he’d had since she had shut him out of talking about her past in general. He wanted to know all he could about her, to know her intimately the way he wanted her to know about himself. 

Malcolm had been a bit surprised at how easily she had listened to his stories about Gigi and even before her. Adaline had never judged him or questioned him, she had just accepted that he had been involved, but had then extricated himself from the mess. He had tried to guide her into talking to him about her own past, but aside from hints of tension in her voice, she hadn’t yet gone into any details.

In the village he had asked around and gotten some hints from what had obviously been old gossip in the village from years ago, but it had been long enough ago that no one really remembered all that much and, with their respect for Adaline’s status, those who may have known more just went quiet and shut down the subject quickly. Something had happened to Adaline, Malcolm could safely say that to himself, but more than that was still unknown.

Now, as the afternoon sun dipped lower behind the hills, he knocked on the cottage door before letting himself in. Adaline was already in the kitchen making a dinner for the two of them to share. ‘Is that a stew I smell simmering?’

‘You are correct, Mr. Tucker. I had some leftover mutton and thought a good stew with some potatoes, celery and carrots would go down well on a chill night.’

‘Not so chill now that I’m here I hope,’ Malcolm came up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist while daring to kiss her neck. He was greeted with a slight tilt of her head that allowed him more access to nuzzle her even more. 

‘I was going to get a fire going in the hearth, but maybe that won’t be needed?’

‘The warmer the better, love,’ Malcolm teased her. ‘Or if you don’t want a fire for our after dinner tea we could opt to snuggle under that large lap blanket you have.’

Adaline turned in his arms to steal a brief kiss on his lips. Before he could lean in for a longer kiss, Malcolm was being handed the stirring spoon. ‘Take over here, I’ll go and get the fire going then.’

‘What if I prefer the snuggle under the blanket?’

‘We can negotiate the blanket option after we eat,’ Adaline smiled at him. ‘I want a fire.’

‘I’d show you a fire of my own..’ Malcolm hinted at as he took the spoon from her. Adaline gave him a little cuff to the shoulder and left him to mind dinner. ‘Can you blame me, love?’

Adaline turned back to him for a moment in the doorway. ‘I don’t blame you at all.’ She turned once more and left him to tend the stew. 

‘Proper snuggling tonight then, love,’ Malcolm said under his breath. 

Dinner was a slow and enjoyable affair as Malcolm made a show of feeding her stew. He refilled her wine glass more than once over the course of the evening. His glass didn’t go empty either and by the time they had finished eating, Malcolm cleared off the dishes to set them in the sink. He shook his finger at her when she went to put the kettle on. ‘No tea for you tonight. Only wine.’ 

‘Malcolm!’

He grabbed the glasses from the table and the rest of the bottle of wine. ‘Don’t try to deny it, love. I know all too well that you have no tours on tomorrow.’

‘I may get a last minute request.’

‘And they’ll find the cottage door closed and unanswered.’ Malcolm steered her to the couch and handed her her wine glass. He filled it once more, grabbed the blanket and settled onto the couch at her side. With a bit of a juggle he had her snug up against his side and the blanket tucked around them. With a top up of his own glass, Malcolm draped his arm around her shoulders and was quite pleased when she rested her head against his shoulder. 

They sat together, warm under the blanket and the fire burning in the fireplace. Malcolm occasionally stroked her arm as they talked about whatever happened to come up in their conversation. After some time, they ran out of subjects and just quietly sat together, lost in the warmth from the fire and the wine. Adaline’s head continued to rest on Malcolm’s shoulder, her one arm around his waist. Her fingers tucked into the waist of his trousers as she felt more and more comfortable around him. Her gaze was kept drawn to the dancing flames in the hearth. The feeling of Malcolm’s body against her put her at ease more than she normally would be around anyone else. 

‘Penny for your thoughts?’ Malcolm’s voice was just as soothing as the flame.

Adaline shifted a bit closer to him under the blanket. ‘You.’

‘That’s intriguing,’ Malcolm murmured. ‘Care to elaborate?’

‘Thinking about what you’ve become to me.’

His fingers kneaded her upper arm gently, ‘And what have I become?’

‘You’re like my own personal fire.’ 

‘That’s a new one,’ Malcolm admitted.

‘You’re warm, the perfect part of the evening before bed, but still very useful and important.’

‘Some would say that fire can also burn a person,’ Malcolm fished for more.

Adaline didn’t turn her gaze from the fireplace, her thoughts still drifting. ‘Flames can burn,’ She finally agreed.

‘Got burned?’

‘Before.’ 

‘Burns heal, you know. I’m proof of that.’

‘They do heal but scars can last.’

‘A scar is just a reminder. It’s not the pain itself,’ Malcolm countered.

‘Reminding me constantly of what I had and lost,’ Adaline said wistfully. Malcolm simply sat quietly, one hand stroking her arm as he waited to see if she would say anything more. ‘You wouldn’t think it would still feel as fresh as it did 10 years ago.’

‘That long ago?’

‘Surprised?’

‘Must have been quite an event then to last this long.’

Adaline snuggled in closer against Malcolm’s body. She tugged the blanket up over her until all but her head was covered up, warm and cozy. She sipped the last of her wine. Malcolm took the empty glass from her and set it on the side table. His other hand snaked under the blankets until he could twine his fingers through hers. He continued his silent reassurance. Adaline sighed softly. ‘His name was Conleth. He first turned up in the village as a seasonal farmhand. At first I only saw him about the village and that was it. Then on one of his days off he came for a hike in the hills and I ran into him as I was on my own walk one day, no tour involved.’

Adaline continued her story slowly. ‘He was a few years younger than I. As we walked he talked about himself. He was studying management in college and turned up for work after answering an ad. He hailed from Edinburgh. He was studying there as well. That summer it was a heady sort of young love fling that ended when Conleth had to go back to school in the fall. We kept in touch off and on through the school year but it was difficult then. Not as easy as it is with mobiles now.

‘I was quite happy to learn that he’d got a summer job at the farm again the following summer. We picked up where we had left off. Going for walks when we could together. I’d take him lunch at the farm when I wasn't busy with tours. I dare say we became an item in the village. The more my friends and villagers talked the more I began to think there was something to what they were saying.’

‘What had they been saying?’ Malcolm asked gently.

‘That I’d be talked into moving back to the city with him that fall. I couldn’t really picture myself in the city though.. I had left there when my father had died because I couldn’t stand it any longer. Leaving the cottage and the hills just isn’t something I think of doing now at all. But that’s what Conleth began to mention. He wanted me to come and visit him when he had to go back to class.

‘I didn’t that year and then over the holidays he showed up at my door with a bouquet and a gift.’ Adaline gazed into the fire for a time before continuing. ‘He asked me to marry him. He knew I wouldn’t leave the village so he had come up with an idea to market my hiking tours and invest in a larger place. I’d never thought any further than minding the business, living on my own and doing what I needed to live a quiet and simple life here. His grand ideas were enticing and the picture he painted of us working together to make it succeed was like an intense high. I bought into the dream he was weaving and, even though he had to go back to classes I had said yes. It was like the perfect life. Away from the city and the pain that city life held for me but with a man that I could love for the rest of my life. We began to talk about our wedding and our future.’

Adaline fell into another thoughtful gaze. Malcolm’s encouragement for her to continue was gentle but successful.

‘That summer he came back, working at the farm and spending his free time with me to plan. I was busy as well. The weather was nice and there were constant tours to guide. Conleth came by when he could and when I was there but it just seemed to be hard to find times to be together properly. We were in love though and to me, it didn’t matter. I wanted that love and that life here in the hills.

‘It wasn’t until the end of that summer that he told me the bad news that he had fallen short of his degree requirements and would have to do one more year. I accepted that as a legitimate reason to delay our wedding. It would give us both more time to save up.’

‘It was his idea to put it off?’

‘Yes,’ Adaline sighed. ‘Looking back now it seems a bit obvious but I was in love and thinking only of the dream.’ 

‘What happened the following year?’

‘I asked him if he wanted to stay in the cottage with me but it was too much of a walk for him to go back and forth to the farm he said before he was due to come back. When he did come back I hardly saw him in the first month. I was booked every day for hikes. I spoke to him in the evenings when I could but it was only for a short time as he always had to be up early for the farm work.

‘I had talked to him about a small ceremony at the local church before we went on a honeymoon to the south coast. Conleth agreed and left it up to me to book things.’ Adaline held Malcolm’s hand under the blanket. ‘One thing that I hated about the wedding was that my father wouldn’t be there. Growing up I had always imagined how beautiful it would be to have him give me away.’

‘I guess that’s the dream of every young woman.’

‘It was.’

‘Now?’

‘My wedding to Conleth was all I thought about, Malcolm. The big day was only a week away. We were to wed and then go to the south coast… ‘ Adaline went quiet again, lost in her memories as Malcolm held her close. ‘He didn’t even have the guts to talk to me. I got a note from him from the pastor at the church when I went there for a short rehearsal. All it said was that he’d had a change of heart. He couldn’t see himself living in the village the way I wanted to. Then there was some market research that he had done that projected little more profit in the hiking business than what I had already managed on my own.’ Adaline smiled sourly and then looked up into Malcolm’s eyes. ‘He didn’t love me. He loved the prospect of a successful business.’

‘Fucking hell.’ Malcolm’s arms went round her to hold her nice and close to him. ‘That’s fucking rough.’

Adaline gave his arm a punch. ‘Stop that language.’

‘Sorry, love.’

‘It was rough. It was also a big deal around the town. It’s not like I was born here and that they would close ranks to protect me at all. There was a lot of whispered chatter and snickers at my expense. I took it though.’

‘You had every right to ‘chat’ right back at them. It wasn’t their business at the end of the day.’

‘My situation was their entertainment for a while,’ Adaline snaked her arms around his. ‘I bore it on the chin and they all eventually began to respect me again.’

‘You ever hear from him again?’

‘No. One of the other farmhands mentioned once that Conleth had turned up in Edinburgh working one of the council offices as a budget reviewer or something. Certainly not a business manager at all.’

‘Good. If he had succeeded I could see about scuttling whatever business he was running for you.’

‘There’s no more revenge in my mind, Malcolm. Just regret that I fell for it at all.’

‘No other lads in the past 10 years?’

‘No one serious. I’ve no interest in that at all.’

‘None at all?’ Malcolm’s fingers ran through her hair. ‘Not even for a Scotsman that turns up when you call him?’

‘I only call you to chat, not ask you to come all the way up to Balquhidder for a lark.’

‘If you ever do I’d be up here fu… damn fast.’

‘Stop that, Malcolm. I’m not about to demand you run up here for me at all. If you want to be here it’s up to you. It’s not like I’m going to drop my life here and run to London for you.’ Adaline spoke and then realized how she must have sounded to him. She began to apologize, but Malcolm silenced her with a finger to her lips.

‘I don’t want you to change, love. Not one bit. I know I’m a city boy, but this city boy has no problem whatsoever enjoying the hills. Especially when you’re here at the hills.’

‘Malcolm..’ Adaline was still hesitant.

‘Enough, love. I can’t deny what I feel for you now. Even if it’s not reciprocated to the same level on your part, I’m not going to drop out of your life.’ Malcolm smiled warmly at her. ‘Adaline, I love you with all my heart and soul.’

‘You live in London, Malcolm. I’m all the way up here in Balquhidder.’

‘Haven’t I already shown that I can come up here when I like to? I don’t have a job that I have to beg time off from or a boss that would give me grief for being out of town so much. I’m my own man, Adaline. And this man wants to be with you whenever and however he can.’

‘I couldn’t ask you to ever change your life this way, Malcolm.’

‘Then don’t ask, Adaline. Just accept that I am doing this on my own accord.’ He gazed into her eyes, turning towards her on the couch. The blanket slid down onto the floor as he took her in his arms and leaned in for a gentle kiss. Adaline resisted for only a brief moment before she seemed to melt into his arms. Those strong Scots arms went round her to guide her onto his lap, holding her close as his kissing became deeper and more intense. As his strong fingers splayed over her back, he parted from her lips to kiss softly along her jawline. Adaline was slipping her fingers through his short hair to hold his head close to her. Malcolm’s lips searched their way down from her jaw to her neck. Adaline tilted her head to one side to allow him more room. 

‘I love you, Adaline,’ Malcolm murmured between kisses on her skin. The heat from the fire was nothing compared to the fire he was feeling inside himself for Adaline. 

‘I love you too, Malcolm,’ Adaline admitted to him in a whisper. Her hands cupped his cheeks to kiss him on his lips with her own growing passion.

‘Whatever I need to do I’ll do it for you,’ Malcolm confessed in a breath. Adaline tensed in his arms. ‘Shush, love. Don’t fear this.’ He took hold of her hands in his and pressed them against his chest so that she could feel the thumping of his heart. ‘I’ll never lie to you. I’ll never let you down. I’ll always love you. I’ve been needing and wanting you all my life and now that I’ve found you, I could never lose you.’

‘I want to feel the same way as you do, Malcolm, but I just don’t know if I can be the dream you want.’

‘You already are, love. You don’t have to do anything different than you are now.’

‘But I can’t move. I don’t want to move.’

‘I don’t want you to move. Believe me, love, it’s me who’s going to do any moving to be with you.’

‘Malcolm, I can’t ask you to do that.’ 

‘Told you, love. You’re not asking me to. I’m wanting to do this.’ He bent to kiss her once more, silencing her protests. She was breathless when he broke the kiss. ‘I love you, Adaline. For the rest of my life.’

‘Oh, Malcolm..’ She saw the honest and open look he gave her and for the first time in a long time, she believed a man. ‘I love you too.’ She returned his kiss and happily squealed as he pulled her closer on his lap while he leaned back against the arm of the couch. 

‘Let me show you how much I love you,’ Malcolm urged her.

‘Show me,’ She responded eagerly.

Malcolm was more than happy to show her how much he loved her. He kissed her deeply while his hands ran up and down her back until his fingers wound through her hair. Adaline met his desire with her own as her hands ran over his chest and down to the waist of his trousers. There her fingers grasped the bottom of his shirt and began to tug the fabric free. Malcolm seemed to purr in response to her fingertips touching his skin for that first time. They were warm and soft and only turned the older Scotsman on more. Adaline shifted on top of him until she was straddling him. 

While there hasn’t been anyone serious in her life since Conleth, she had had lovers and she was by no means some virginal woman. She put any thoughts of that clean from Malcolm’s head as she used his shirt to lift him up off the couch enough to remove it altogether. He lay back on the couch, bare-chested, to gaze into her eyes. Adaline’s fingers caressed his chest lovingly. Malcolm groaned when her fingers tugged ever so lightly on his light dusting of brown-grey chest hair before her teasing touch drifted downwards over his belly.

Malcolm found it hard to not react spontaneously as he had grown used to doing with Gigi. While it had always been rough, hard and fast with his ex-girlfriend, Adaline was as different as you could imagine from that. His groin began to ache painfully from the delay in his release. Adaline could feel him trembling under her and wasn’t about to give in at all that easily for him. With his bulge pressing against her with each shift of her hips, Adaline moaned softly. Her hair brushed against his skin while her lips explored his shoulders and neck. Malcolm’s body arched upwards as her tongue circled and flicked first one then his other nipple.

‘Oh love..’ Malcolm groaned 

‘Malcolm..’ She breathed his name in response.

Malcolm guided her once more so that he could kiss her. He didn’t want to stop tasting her but their other needs took over. Malcolm slid his hands under her top, enjoying the sensation of her warm body and the way she trembled at his touch. He traced a finger along her spine to make her moan again. Adaline sat up and took hold of his hands to guide him to her breasts. Through her silk bra, Malcolm cupped them with his large hands as his eyes watched hers close and her lips parted slightly. Her lips formed an O as his thumbs found her hard nipples and teased them. Her body shivered and her hips ground down against him. 

She bent down to kiss him again, growling with her passion. ‘Malcolm, make love to me.’

‘With pleasure,’ Malcolm agreed. ‘Not here though.’

‘Don’t make me wait..’ She pouted, but let him help her to her feet. 

‘There’s rushed and uncomfortable and then there’s the right way, love.’ 

Malcolm led the way to her bedroom. Standing before her, Malcolm carefully unbuttoned her top and removed it to lay it over a chair. He stroked her once more through the silk before he unclasped her bra and laid it on top of her blouse. Tilting his head he softly nuzzled against her breasts for a few minutes. Then his hands drifted downward to her trousers to pop the button open. Long fingers drifted under the waistband until they reached round to the small of her back. Adaline shivered and dug her fingertips into his broad shoulders. He smiled and then began to ease her trousers down over her hips. 

With a hand on his shoulder to steady herself, Adaline lifted one foot then the other as Malcolm got her trousers free to then lay them on the chair as well. Turning back to Adaline, Malcolm was halted by her hands as they went to his belt and unbuckled it. Her lips found his to kiss him hungrily as her hands freed his button and unzipped his trousers. With his help she got his trousers past his hips to have them fall down to his feet. He kicked them out of the way without caring about them getting rumpled. Left only in their underwear, the couple fell into another long and passionate kiss. Moving almost as one, they stood beside the bed as Malcolm left off kissing her lips to work his way down to her neck. His kisses feathered against her skin to progress slowly towards to her stomach. Adaline’s fingers ran through his short hair, gently guiding him where she wanted his touch the most. At the waistband of her panties, Malcolm glanced up at her to see her eyes half-closed from her growing passion. Her lips were parted slightly and her skin flushed. His fingers traced lines over her silk panties. Each deep breath he took, filled him with the scent of her sex. When his finger found its way down further to just above the start of her folds he paused and waited for her.

‘Malcolm, don’t stop there,’ Adaline begged softly.

‘I want you, love.’

‘Take me,’ She breathed.

His lips pressed softly against her through her panties as his fingers found the waistband and eased the silk downwards to slowly reveal her privates to him. Gentle kisses lead him over her thighs. Then he stood to help her sit on the edge of the bed. He knelt once more, Adaline parting her legs for him. With her invitation, Malcolm kissed his way closer and closer to her center. Adaline shivered with delight at the sensuous touch of Malcolm’s lips and fingers. She was more than ready for his attentions. Malcolm lapped up what she was offering until she was squirming with pleasure. 

‘Take me, Malcolm.’ Her fingers tightened in his hair. ‘Please. I want you.’

Malcolm got up from his knees and in a fluid move helped her back onto the bed until she lay there ready for him. He slipped his underwear off, having to extend the waistband to get them down past his throbbing erection. Malcolm joined her on the bed, hovering over her as her hands ran over his body. He groaned loudly as her fingers found his member and stroked him lovingly. ‘Adaline.’

She didn’t have to say anything. Instead, her fingers guided him inside. Her passion made his entrance easy. Her arms went round his trunk as did one leg, locking their bodies together. Malcolm made love to her slowly and tenderly. He fought back his urge to speed up and orgasm until Adaline was closer to her own peak. He wasn’t able to hold off entirely and cried out her name as his passion crested before Adaline’s. Moaning, he held her close and slipped his hand down between her legs to caress her to her own orgasm.

Wrapping her body around his afterwards, they lay there in a comfort and relaxed after their lovemaking. Malcolm kissed her forehead softly while his hand stroked her shoulder and arm. 

‘I love you, Malcolm,’ Adaline said in a hushed tone.

‘I love you too, Adaline. You’re the woman I’ve been looking for all my life.’

‘That’s a lot to live up to, Malcolm.’ 

‘You already have in spades, my love.’


	38. Chapter 38

Malcolm arrived at the office on the following Friday after having spent the past two weeks exclusively up in Balquhidder with Adaline. He had been reluctant to leave her for any length of time. Adaline and he hadn’t had to really go into detail about how Malcolm’s presence in the cottage on a more regular basis would work. He had already been spending evenings in her bed and now it was obvious that’s where he would be going forward. A small desk that Adaline used for her bookkeeping was soon reorganised to give Malcolm space for his laptop. 

He had given Sam a call when he had changed his original plans to return after just a few days. Malcolm had again told her she could take some paid time off, but she had declined the offer. For her, it was business as usual, to review his first drafts and edit out names. She had rescheduled the few appointments he had with the publisher for when he returned and that was going to keep him busy at first that day. 

Not until after two calls to his publisher did he have a chance to sit down to talk about things with Sam. 

‘You’ve been enjoying your time up in Scotland,’ Sam noted.

‘I have,’ Malcolm grinned and blushed a little. ‘Adaline is quite the woman.’

‘And the best thing to ever happen to you, Malcolm. There’s been a definite change in you now.’

‘How so?’ Malcolm was curious.

‘You’re more relaxed, the tension has left you.’

‘I was that bad was I?’

‘Malcolm, you were dancing on a knife’s edge the entire time you were with you-know-who.’

‘All I can say is that I’m sorry I put you through that, Sam. I know I asked a lot of you as my PA dealing with that shit.’

‘I wouldn’t have abandoned you, Malcolm. No matter what you asked me to do.’

‘Still, asking you to help me clean up her and her drug addiction for the past few years was something I should never have expected of you.’

‘Malcolm, I spent a long time with you at Number 10 and all the craziness there. Helping you manage one drug addict wasn’t that difficult. Now, enough talking about that woman. Tell me how are things going with you and Adaline.’

The smile broadened on his face as soon as Sam had mentioned Adaline’s name. ‘Going very well. We’ve been talking about how we’re going to work things out with her work and mine. She has no desire to leave the hills and her hiking tours, so my job writing is more portable. I’m going to get a proper computer kit set up at her place rather than rely on my laptop. I can write while she’s on her hikes and it’s not like I need to use the library at all for my writing.’

‘Why not just have your computer here moved up there?’

‘Well, I’m thinking of moving this set up to my London home.’ He broached the subject of the office now. ‘The lease here is up for renewal in a few months, Sam.’

‘Going to bother renewing it?’

‘It seems pointless now if I’ll be up in Balquhidder most of the time,’ Malcolm agreed. ‘But I don't want you to think that I’m firing you at all. I just don’t need this office. You up to maybe working from home?’

‘I wouldn’t mind that at all, Malcolm. Neither would George. There’s plenty of things to do in my down time for our wedding.’

‘You’d still be fine with Adaline coming along if she likes?’

‘Of course, Malcolm. She’s more than welcome to come to our wedding,’ Sam smiled at him. ‘I hope you’ll bring her to London before hand to meet us.’

‘Hadn’t thought of that,’ Malcolm admitted. ‘I’ll definitely do that though.’

‘Just let me know when you’ll have her down to London. I’ll make sure George is off and we can go on a double date. Do you think she’d like to go to the theatre? There’s going to be some new plays on that she may want to see.’

‘I’ll talk to her when I see her on Monday.’

‘Going back up again so soon?’

‘Yes,’ Malcolm said. ‘Hard enough to be away for just these three days. She’s got some large groups this weekend so she’d be away most of the day anyway, but even so I miss being with her in the evening.’

‘Adaline feels the same way then?’

‘Oh, yes. Very much so,’ Malcolm beamed. ‘Once we get settled down, then I’ll probably be looking at maybe coming to London once or twice a month for a few days just to take care of business. I’m glad I only did a three book deal.’

‘That sounds like someone’s planning a retirement.’ 

‘Change of career, I’m thinking,’ Malcolm hinted.

‘Oh?’ Sam was curious.

‘I’m a bit of a rookie but Adaline’s a good teacher for hiking.’

‘You know you’ll never truly escape your past from Number 10 and now the books, right?’

‘Maybe not, but I can still focus more on the hiking than my past,’ Malcolm admitted. ‘What it means though is that I’ll always need some help with that part of my life. So, you’ll always have a job, at least part time, to help out on that.’

‘I’ll manage your fan mail.’

‘And my hate mail too!’ Malcolm winked.


	39. Chapter 39

‘Malcolm? I’m home.’ Adaline stepped into the cottage after a long day of hiking with a small group. They’d been a slower than usual bunch and she was home well after dark. 

‘Dinner’s about ready, love,’ Malcolm called out from the kitchen. ‘Can’t come to help you off with your gear though or else it’ll burn.’

‘Can’t have that can we,’ Adaline smiled and bent to get her hiking boots off. ‘It smells lovely, Malcolm. What are you making?’

‘Trying out a mutton stew with that leftover mutton from yesterday. May have put in a bit too much onion, but we’ll have to see how it tastes.’

‘You and your onions for cooking,’ Adaline commented as she shrugged off her jacket and hung it up. ‘Still smells good.’ She joined him in the kitchen and slid her arms around his waist, kissing him on the side of his neck before resting her chin on his shoulder to watch him stirring the stew carefully in the pot. ‘That’s pretty thick stew.’

‘I know. I was guessing on how much stock to start with on this one. The barley soaked up more than I expected. I’ll thin it in a bit.’

‘Leave it thick, Malcolm. We still have a few of those dinner rolls we can have with it. That’ll help with that thick gravy.’ 

‘Dinner rolls it is then. How about you set the table while I watch this. Shouldn’t be more than a few more minutes now.’

Adaline nodded and was quickly finishing laying out their dinner dishes, warmed up the dinner rolls and waited for Malcolm to declare it’s time to eat. After spooning the thick stew into their dinner bowls, Malcolm sat down at the small table across from Adaline to enjoy their dinner together. Malcolm filled her in on what he had worked on that day and she regaled him with tales of her hike that day with the tour group. ‘I’m going to have a large group on Friday and will be a bit later getting back. Will you want to come along on that one?’

‘Friday? I wouldn’t mind it. I’ll push on and finish up my current chapter tomorrow so I can go with you.’

‘Don’t rush your work for it.’

‘Of course not, love. I’ll just give it a go,’ Malcolm assured her. ‘I was talking to Sam today. You’re still good to come down to London in two weeks?’

‘I don’t see why not. You haven’t added anything to my calendar for tours without me knowing?’

‘Course not. I can’t wait for you to meet Sam properly. I hope you two will get along.’

‘The brief meeting I had with her she gave me the impression of being a lovely person. George is her fiancé, right?’

‘Yes. I’m hoping that you’ll say yes to being my date to their wedding.’

‘Of course I will be, Malcolm.’ 

‘Good. I’ll warn Sam that she’ll be overshadowed at her wedding by you.’

‘Stop that!’ Adaline told him off. 

‘Can’t help it, love. It’s how I feel about you.’ He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. ‘Now, for afters I’ve made us a cheesecake. Go get settled on the couch and I’ll bring it in with some tea.’

Minutes later, Malcolm was carrying a plate with a slice of cheesecake and two mugs of tea for them over to the couch. A small fire was already going and the blanket was spread out by Adaline. He snuggled in beside her to enjoy their shared desert and tea.


	40. Chapter 40

Two weeks later Sam was at the office working on packing up books as the move out date loomed within the month when George arrived. He had managed to sneak in without her noticing and surprised her with a hug from behind. ‘Hey, gorgeous.’

‘George, behave!’ Sam laughed as her fiancé nuzzled her neck with his hungry lips. 

‘Behave for who? Malcolm’s barely ever here at the office now. The bloke has practically moved up north permanently.’

‘He may not be here that much but he is due to come to the city for our evening out tomorrow and could drop in if he wants to.’

‘Didn’t he tell you what train he’d be on?’

‘No, just said that they’d be here today or tomorrow. I can’t wait to meet Adaline properly this time.’

‘Anyone’s an improvement on that cow he had taken up with before.’ 

‘Don’t be like that, George. We know that she got her dues.’ Sam gave him a cuff on the shoulder. ‘You’re done with work for the day then?’

‘I am. Figured I’d drop by and see what you’re up to. Any chance I can convince you to play truant this afternoon?’

‘I have a fair bit of packing to get done here, George.’

‘You’ve plenty of time to work on it and you know I’m going to pop over next week when I’m off to help you crack on with it. It’ll all get done and ready for the removals lads to take it all into storage.’

‘You are turning into a very bad influence, George,’ Sam admitted, but was open to calling it a day.

‘Just remember that we have to be all adult and grown up once we’re married properly,’ George teased.

‘We’re adult and grown up now, George.’

‘Okay, how about just being a bit less grown up today then?’ The fellow hugged her again, tickling her to make her laugh.

‘You manhandling my PA again, George?’ Malcolm appeared suddenly at the door of the office. Adaline, just behind him, was smiling at the sight.

‘Malcolm!’ Sam blushed fiercely at having been caught by her employer.

‘Relax, Sam,’ Malcolm reassured her. ‘I’m not going to give you grief over messing about with your man.’

‘More like will you ever let me live it down,’ Sam told him.

‘Now that is true. I won’t let you live it down,’ Malcolm grinned at them. ‘Or at least not until the wedding.’

Sam shot George a withering look. ‘No need to be like that at all, Malcolm. I won’t let George distract me anymore from my work. Now, why don’t you introduce us properly to your lady.’

Malcolm was more than happy to let the subject of Sam’s possible truancy from work to gesture for Adaline to come forward. He slipped his hand in hers, holding her tightly as he smiled warmly at her. ‘Adaline, I’d like to introduce you to Sam. The absolutely best personal assistant a guy could ever want. Except that George here is going to take up more of her time now by marrying her. She’s a very lucky woman, I think.’

‘It’s a pleasure to meet you,’ Adaline accepted George’s light hug and Sam’s tighter one, returning them in kind. ‘The first time we met back at home was so sudden and shocking.’

‘I can barely imagine how it was for you, Adaline. Having known Malcolm as a different man only to have him whisked off by strangers.’

‘The only thing different was the name he used, Sam,’ Adaline admitted warmly, enjoying the tightening squeeze of Malcolm’s hand around hers. ‘If anything, with his memory back to normal, he’s better than ever. And I love watching him when he’s writing, when I can of course. The look on his face when he’s concentrating is adorable.’

George couldn’t stop himself laughing. ‘Malcolm described as adorable is very not right.’ 

‘Stop that, George,’ Sam nudged him by way of chiding her fiancé.

‘It’s alright, Sam. Don’t worry about it,’ Malcolm said. ‘I wouldn’t have thought myself adorable either, but Adaline is convincing me that it is possible.’

‘I’m thinking we better keep this from your general press,’ George winked. ‘Do I have your permission, boss, to sweep my lady off her feet and out of the office till later this evening?’

‘Granted,’ Malcolm grinned. ‘Sam, go off and enjoy the afternoon. Meet at the restaurant for 6pm?’

‘Thank you, Malcolm.’ Sam gave her boss a hug. ‘Six o’clock sharp.’

* * *  
That evening, at six o’clock sharp, Malcolm was holding the door to the restaurant open for Adaline to enter first. She was stunning in a red dress and heels that Malcolm had convinced her to try on that afternoon. She had a classy pair of red, low heels on and, again after some fast talking by Malcolm, her hair had been done up at a salon by his home. Following her into the restaurant, Malcolm found himself falling in love with Adaline harder than ever. 

Watching their entrance from their table, Sam caught her breath in admiration of Adaline’s transformation from the country girl to a beautiful woman who could easily be on the red carpet breaking hearts. George made the comment, ‘Stunning,’ under his breath and Sam couldn’t argue with him at all.

Ever the gentleman, Malcolm helped Adaline to sit at the table before taking his own seat. Sam and George sat across from them. Over the course of the meal, George took close note of the interaction between Malcolm and Adaline. It didn’t take very long before he came to the conclusion that the couple across the table from them were the most compatible and the most in love people that he had ever known in his life. Under the table, his hand reached out towards Sam’s to give her a loving squeeze. It made her turn her gaze to him and smile warmly. The evening was reminding him of how much he loved Sam. 

For Malcolm, the evening felt like a proper first date with Adaline. The occasional dinner out at the local pub that they had gone on hadn’t made him feel this way. Since the moment she had emerged from the bedroom at his London home with the new outfit on and having been pampered at the salon, his heart had begun to hammer in his chest. At one point he had thought that Gigi would be the woman that he would spend the rest of his life with, but she had never made him feel this way. He sat a bit closer to Adaline, an unspoken question to ask for permission was answered by a subtle nod from her. With her permission, he draped an arm around her shoulders after shuffling his chair as close as he could to hers. 

He spotted Sam’s little look at his move and felt himself begin to blush a little. How many times over the past years had he teased his PA for falling for George. All the instances of her wanting to leave early with his permission to go off with George when her man had gotten some time off of his job. Malcolm had always given her a light-hearted hard time for always running off with her lad. Malcolm’s fingers lightly stroked Adaline’s shoulder. His heart skipped a beat when she turned a little to him, offering him a forkful of her dessert, sharing it with him. He accepted it, enjoying the treat probably more than he normally would simply because it was her feeding it to him. 

‘We should think about heading out soon,’ Sam broke into the moment. ‘The show starts soon and I booked us a cab to get us there on time.’

‘Must we?’ George asked with reluctance.

‘We must,’ Malcolm answered for her. ‘We’ve been looking forward to this play, right, love?’

‘Oh yes, I don’t want to miss the play,’ Adaline said.

‘I admit defeat,’ George threw up his hands in surrender. ‘Let’s go then.’

* * *  
Three hours later, the two couples emerged into the late evening to be chilled by the cooler air. As Adaline shivered, Malcolm slipped off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. She was grateful for the extra layer. 

‘How long are you staying in London?’ Sam asked as they waited for cabs. 

‘I believe the plan is to go back up north on Saturday. I have a booked hiking tour on Monday.’

‘I did try to convince her to take more time off but no luck,’ Malcolm shrugged, but smiled.

‘I bet you did, Malcolm,’ George chuckled as he slipped his arm around Sam’s waist.

‘I’m not the famous author. I still need to work for a living,’ Adaline joined in the gentle teasing.

‘Don’t you mean supporting the famous author?’ George shot back with a laugh.

‘You just watch it there, you snot-nosed Londoner. I’m still your fiancé’s boss,’ Malcolm wagged a finger at him.

A cab pulled up and the couples said their good evenings as Malcolm held the door open for Adaline to get in and then joined her. Sam and George stood there and watched the cab pull away. 

‘You’re awfully quiet. That’s not like you.’ Sam looked up into George’s eyes.

‘Just thinking.’

‘Still not like you,’ Sam teased her fiancé.

George pulled Sam closer and grinned as her head rested against his chest with her arms circling him to hug him tightly. ‘Lover. Can’t wait to get you home.’

‘Don’t you go changing the subject,’ Sam gave him a little punch. ‘What’s on your mind?’

‘Malcolm.’ 

‘Malcolm? Why?’

‘He’s found the right woman finally,’ George grinned. ‘You know I still remember that day when he met Gigi. I knew that it was wrong, but he didn’t listen.’

‘I wish he had..’ Sam sighed softly.

‘I’m not.’

‘Huh?’ Sam wondered.

‘He had to go through the rough time with Gigi to set up him meeting Adaline.’ George rubbed Sam’s arm. 

‘Still wish he had listened to you. He didn’t need the hell she put him through.’

‘Don’t you worry about that boss of yours, love He’s going to be just fine. Now, how about we get home and you can take care of me.’

‘Oh you!’ Sam gave him another punch. George laughed and kissed her suddenly. Their cab pulled up and they headed home.

* * *  
A fifteen minute drive away, Malcolm and Adaline were stepping out of their cab and then heading up the short set of stairs. Holding the door open, Malcolm followed Adaline inside. She wasn’t as used to the heels and Malcolm offered an arm for her to hold onto while she slipped them off. She sighed with relief with the heels off and wiggled her toes happily. 

‘Not a heels lady are you?’ Malcolm smiled as he took off his own shoes.

‘Give me hiking boots any-day.’ 

‘Well, you looked amazing tonight.’ He stood in front of her, resting his hands on her hips to gaze at her. ‘With or without heels on.’

‘You weren’t bad looking yourself,’ Adaline smiled back at him, her hands running over his chest and straightening the lapels of his jacket.

‘The day I fell on the hill walking was the best day in my life,’ Malcolm said softly.

‘Now, why would you say that? You got hurt and lost your memory.’ 

‘Because it’s the day I met you.’ 

‘Malcolm,’ Adaline murmured his name.

He took her hands in his, holding them close before lifting them to kiss them lightly. ‘Maybe it was fate, I don’t know, but since then I’ve never felt more at peace with myself.’ 

‘I didn’t know you before but I know that you’ve been nothing but the most wonderful and sweetest man I have ever known, Malcolm.’

‘I don’t think you would have cared much for me before.’

‘Then I’ll be glad that I never saw you that way.’ Adaline’s smile melted his heart.

Malcolm released her hands and laid his hands gently on her face, his thumbs lightly stroking her cheeks. Tilting his head, he pressed his lips against hers to kiss her softly and lingering there for some minutes. Adaline slipped her arms around Malcolm’s waist to lean into the kiss, her lips parting for Malcolm’s tongue to gently explore her mouth. His long fingers left her cheek to run through her hair. Her fingers gripped his jacket, bunching it slightly before releasing it and slipping her hands under his jacket to run her hands over his chest.

‘Love,’ Malcolm’s husky voice was low as he gazed into her eyes. 

‘My sweet Malcolm,’ Adaline rested her palm on his cheek. He turned into her hand to kiss it. 

‘Adaline,’ Malcolm’s tone was both begging and asking at the same time. The soft look she gave him was all the answer he needed. He took hold of her hand and they headed up the stairs to his bedroom. Malcolm had only a brief thought of the last time he’d had Gigi join him in the room. He shook his head to clear that thought and got a squeeze of his hand and a questioning look from Adaline. ‘Memories.’

‘Anything I can do to help?’ 

‘Only one thing can help.’

‘What?’ Adaline was stroking his cheek again.

‘Let me love you for the rest of my life.’

‘I will gladly do that, Malcolm. As long as you love me for the rest of my life as well.’

‘With all of my heart and soul, Adaline.’ Malcolm kissed her fervently.

She took the initiative and after she stripped him of his jacket, she was quickly tugging his shirt free from his trouser waistband without breaking from their kiss. With it free from his trousers, Adaline slid her hands up underneath it to stroke his sides and then upwards towards his chest. Malcolm shivered under her touch. His long fingers roamed lightly over her hips and then up along her arms. He once again stroked her cheeks as he kissed her deeply.

It was Adaline’s turn to shiver as Malcolm slipped his hands from her cheek to around her back. His fingers traced up along the center of her back. At the neckline, his fingertips took hold of the zip of her dress and began to ease it downwards. He teased it down off her shoulders with his lips kissing her skin as he exposed it, not stopping until it was held up only by her hips. Adaline ran her fingers up to Malcolm’s head, twining into his short hair to guide his lips over her. 

At her urging, Malcolm’s kisses worked their way down from her lips to her neck and then over her shoulders. His fingers teased the shoulder straps of her lace bra down with his soft kisses continuing. Adaline gasped softly as Malcolm’s fingers gently cupped her breasts and his lips began kissing between them. She gripped his shoulders tightly, her eyes closed and her head tilted back slightly in response. His large thumbs rubbed lightly over her nipples and his breath against her skin was warm to make her moan.

Neither of them spoke. There wasn’t any need to. Their fingers and lips were saying all that either of them needed or wanted to say. Malcolm reached around and unclasped her bra, easing it off and letting it drop onto the floor behind him, coming to a rest on top of his previously discarded shirt. His hands went back to her breasts to massage them sensually. Adaline tugged at his hair with her own simmering passion, torn between wanting him to continue kissing and touching her and wanting to kiss him deeply. 

When Malcolm stood up straight, they fell into a long, urgently passionate kiss. Her breasts pressed against his chest, turning Malcolm on even more. His groan was guttural and low, muffled only by their kiss. Adaline ran her fingers down Malcolm’s back until she slid them under the waist of his trousers. She squeezed and massaged Malcolm’s buttocks through his boxers. He reacted by pressing his hips towards hers. His hands worked their way under her dress to tease her bottom the way she was teasing him and to pull her as close as possible against him.

Malcolm guided her to the bedside where he sat down as she stood in front of him. He reached up to massage her breasts as he traced kisses over her stomach just above her dress. His legs were spread open for her to stand between them. Her fingers ran through his hair as she persisted in trying to press his face closer against her skin. Malcolm resisted her attempt and continued to kiss and lick her skin. His fingers clutched her bunched up dress and worked it down past her hips. She stepped from the dress, giving it a little kick back and out of the way. Her panties were damp as Malcolm’s fingers stroked her firmly. Adaline moaned in response.

The heady scent of her sex filled Malcolm’s nostrils as he bent forward to kiss her gently through her damp panties. His fingers teasingly pulled the silk panties away to work inside and stroke her warm skin. Adaline was more fervently tugging and teasing Malcolm’s hair wanting him to do more than just touch her with his fingers. Malcolm laughed softly and made his lover squeak when he pulled her down suddenly to sit on his lap. They kissed passionately once more while Malcolm’s fingers massaged her crotch. Her panties were quickly becoming more than just damp. Malcolm was groaning in his throat as Adaline’s body was pressing hard against his erection. 

Their lips parted finally. Adaline was flush now from her passion. ‘You’re overdressed, Malcolm.’

‘I’d say the same of you.’ His fingers teased over her panties.

‘You first,’ Adaline said, her hand dragging down over his chest to his trousers. Her fingers went to his waist and unbuttoned them. Malcolm held his breath as she unzipped him. The sudden release of the tension that was holding his erection in check made him gasp. Then he was gasping again as Adaline’s fingers tugged the waistband of his boxers downwards. She had to pull it outwards to get it past the throbbing organ. 

He was groaning loudly when Adaline wrapped her hand around his member and stroked up and down the length. Malcolm wrapped his arm around her waist to hold onto her. His eyes closed in reaction to her gentle but firm touch on his erection. Malcolm’s free hand continued to caress Adaline’s privates. 

Adaline leaned in towards him and had him falling back onto the bed. She laughed at the look on his face as she straddled him. Laying atop him, Adaline took control for the moment and kissed him fervently. Malcolm’s trousers had only been pushed down past his groin but it was enough for Adaline. She was rubbing along his shaft with her groin to make him squirm. 

‘Get those panties off, love,’ Malcolm groaned. 

‘Get them off me then,’ Adaline teased back. 

Malcolm groaned and reached down to her waist. He took hold of the waistband and worked the panties downwards. Adaline lifted herself up until the last piece of clothing was removed and thrown onto the floor. In the tangle of their bodies Malcolm wrestled her playfully until it was her laying on her back on the bed and Malcolm on top. He wriggled his own trousers off. 

The lovers stopped playing. Malcolm looked down into Adaline’s eyes, gazing with pure love into them. She returned the look with a deep love for him of her own. The Scot bent down and kissed her. Adaline wrapped her arms around him to return the kiss with the same, slow passion. She reached down to take hold of his member. It was her that guided him inside herself. Malcolm sank into her to his full length, moaning deep in his throat. 

Adaline wrapped one leg around his, latching on to him. Her hips rose to meet his in a mutual slow pace to their lovemaking. Time, the world, nothing else mattered to the couple. All they cared about was one another. They moved as one until their passion overwhelmed them. Their moans and cries announced their orgasms. 

Malcolm, spent, lay beside her with his arms around her to hold her close to him. They were both breathing heavily to recover. He kissed her forehead gently. ‘I love you, Adaline.’

Adaline curled up closer against him, her hand resting on his chest to feel it rise and fall with his deep breaths. ‘I love you too, Malcolm.’

‘Forever,’ He whispered.

‘Forever,’ she responded softly.


	41. Chapter 41

It was five months later, Malcolm woke up in his London home, Adaline curled up beside him in his arms. Today was a big day. It was the day Sam was to marry her fiancé George. He had been more than willing to give her away. She had told him, ‘You’re a dear friend, Malcolm. You’ve also been like my father for the past 15 years, so it’s only right that you be there for me on my wedding day to give me away.’ 

In the early morning light, his tuxedo hung on the wardrobe. Right beside was the pale blue dress that Adaline had chosen for the day. They had had a bit of discussion over the dress she would wear. Malcolm wanted her to wear the red one that he absolutely loved to see her wear. 

‘Malcolm!’ Adaline had been indignant over his choice. ‘That dress is for evenings out together. It is entirely inappropriate to be worn to Sam’s wedding.’

‘But you look stunning in it, love.’ 

‘And on any other occasion I would gladly wear it for you,’ Adaline had said. ‘But I am not about to outshine Sam. It’s her and George’s day.’

‘But…’ Malcolm had tried a last time but Adaline had shut him up the best way she knew how - with a long kiss that distracted him entirely. She had not discussed it with him again until their very next trip to London where she had him escort her to her favourite dress shop where she had picked out the pale blue dress. He still loved her in the red dress, but watching her try on the new one had made an impression on him as well.

Now, he lay there with his hand gently stroking her arm while she slept on. In his head he was going over the wedding plans. He had done nothing but think about how he would go through the day. The marriage of Sam and George had got him thinking about his own future. He had come to the decision that he wanted his future to include Adaline as well. Yes, they’d made a commitment to one another months ago and they constantly avowed that they would love one another for life. But Malcolm realized that he wanted to formalise their relationship, wanted to show her that he meant everything he said to her. 

What had been the most challenging was to find a way to buy Adaline an engagement ring without her knowing. He certainly couldn’t have bought it anywhere up north. Any cab drive into the city would have had people talking and there wasn’t any jewelry shop in the village. Any trip to London was usually spent visiting assorted sights that Adaline wanted to see, or shopping, or catching up with his publisher on the last volume of his memoirs. He had to do some fast talking with his publisher to convince him to work with Malcolm to get a jeweler to visit the publisher’s office so that he could pick out a ring with Adaline not being aware of it at all. He had even managed to keep it a secret from Sam.

But he hadn’t asked her yet. It just had never seemed the right time. He just wished he knew when it would be. 

Adaline stirred in the bed beside him and Malcolm was drawn to her rather than his own thoughts.

The wedding was planned to take place at 11 am. The location was a local church that George and Sam had picked. It was close enough that it would only take a short cab ride to get there. It wasn’t going to be a large, elaborate affair so they were all to be there thirty minutes prior. 

With just an hour to go before they were due to be at the church, with their breakfast finished and a shared shower, Malcolm was helping Adaline with her dress. Zipping it up, he teased her with some kisses on the back of her neck while her hands lifted her hair out of the way. ‘Behave, Malcolm.’

‘I am.’

‘You’re not,’ Adaline chided him. ‘I know what those kisses mean.’

Malcolm chuckled and slid his arms around her to hug her close. ‘Those kisses mean that I love you dearly and seeing you so relaxed and beautiful just makes me want to show it to you properly.’

‘After the wedding, Malcolm. You have to be on time.’

‘We’ll get there on time, don’t worry.’

‘Keep this up and you’ll distract yourself from your duties today.’

‘You mean escorting Sam down the aisle and into the arms of George? I think I can manage that well enough.’

‘And I’ve seen you mix that up during the rehearsals.’

‘I’ve learned and it won’t happen today.’ 

‘I’m going to make sure of that,’ Adaline told him with a smile. She turned around to face him and straightened up his tuxedo’s bowtie. ‘You look very smart in that tuxedo.’

Malcolm’s eyebrows waggled slightly as he returned her smile. ‘And you are going to outshine the bride.’

‘Which is certainly what I am NOT trying to do!’ 

‘You’ll always outshine anyone in my eyes, Adaline.’ Malcolm said, his voice softening. Adaline sighed happily. ‘You about ready to go?’

‘Give me five minutes.’ Adaline gave him a little kiss and disappeared into the washroom. 

Malcolm smiled and went into his office. Sitting for a moment alone, he opened up the drawer where he had hid the engagement ring. He couldn’t stop himself from smiling as he slipped the ring box into his jacket pocket. He returned to the living room and finished putting on his shoes while he waited on Adaline. It was an anxious few minutes wait until she came down the stairs. 

‘There we go. I think I’m all set to go now.’ Adaline stood in the doorway. She was a vision to Malcolm of perfect beauty. Her hair framing her face, her makeup done subtly and to best effect; the pale blue dress fitted her frame just snugly enough. His eyes slid down her legs to the matching blue heels. ‘Malcolm?’

‘You are the most beautiful woman in the universe, Adaline,’ Malcolm beamed at her. He closed the gap between them, laying his hands lightly on her face. ‘I wish I had the words to truly explain how you make me feel.’

‘Malcolm, you don’t need to say anything. I can see it in your eyes, feel it.’

‘I’ve been trying for months now to find the right time, the best way, the perfect words.. I just can’t so I’ll just do this..’ Malcolm held her hand in his, dropping to one knee and pulling the ring box from his jacket pocket. ‘Adaline, will you?’ He opened the box with the engagement ring and held it up for her.

‘Oh..’ Adaline went silent, her mouth open. Malcolm waited, breath held. ‘I don’t know what to say, Malcolm.’

‘Yes?’ Malcolm prompted.

‘This is too sudden, Malcolm. And there’s the wedding to focus on.’

Malcolm looked a little crestfallen. ‘I’ve got the timing really wrong then.’

‘Please, Malcolm. I can’t give you an answer right now. This is a lot to take in so suddenly.’ Her hand folded over his to close the ring box. 

‘It’s not a no though, right?’

‘It’s neither a yes or a no, Malcolm.’ She leaned forward and kissed him softly. ‘Give me time, love?’

‘I can do that,’ Malcolm got up again and kissed her back. ‘I’ll find a better time to ask.’

‘I just need to think about this, Malcolm. It’s a life changer. For both of us.’

‘I know.’ Malcolm squeezed her hand. ‘And no matter what your answer is, I’ll still love you just as much as I do right now.’

‘Thank you, Malcolm. Now, we should really go. We have a wedding to attend. And you have a bride to give away.’

* * *  
They arrived at the small church to greetings from the gathered family and friends. Malcolm introduced Adaline to the friends he knew of Sam’s. A number of them were people he had known from Number 10 as well. They didn’t know many of George’s friends but the fiancé joined them and was introducing all to the small group. When the pastor came out to start assembling everyone for the ceremony Malcolm settled Adaline into one of the front row seats. She left the seat beside her empty for Malcolm to join her once he had given Sam away. 

‘You behave out here around all these young men,’ Malcolm teased Adaline and got a smile in return. 

In the side room where the bride to be and her bridesmaid and maid of honour were getting ready, Malcolm joined them. He hugged Sam.

‘Careful, Malcolm.’ Erin, Sam’s long time friend from her childhood and her bridesmaid, knew Malcolm by reputation only and thought he was going to mess up her wedding dress. 

Malcolm smiled and let Sam go, making a show of “unwrinkling” her dress around her shoulders. ‘See, no long lasting damage.’

‘Do you know your lines, Malcolm?’ The maid of honour, Janice, had also worked at Number 10. 

Malcolm scowled at the woman and then broke into a smile. ‘Don’t you worry, I’m no sniveling wet-eared and limp-dicked intern in the back offices. Malcolm Tucker knows his fucking lines!’ 

‘You’d better,’ Janice teased back. 

‘He will,’ Sam linked her arm in his. ‘Won’t you, Malcolm?’

‘I’d never let you down, Sam,’ Malcolm reassured her. ‘Now, if George ever does do you wrong, you just call on me.’

‘Not like that would ever happen,’ Sam said with a smile. 

‘Everyone ready?’

With that they all got to their spots for the walk down the aisle. Shortly after Bridal Chorus began to play, the doors were opened and Malcolm was striding slowly and in pace with Sam towards the dais. George stood there with a look of pride and adoration on his face. Malcolm escorted Sam and formally handed her over to her husband to be. 

His part of the ceremony over, Malcolm went to his seat and sat beside Adaline. She reached over and took hold of his hand. Malcolm curled his fingers around hers, holding her tightly as the ceremony proceeded. 

As they exchanged vows, Adaline leaned close to Malcolm, her head resting on his shoulder. His heart seemed to swell in his chest. Sure, he thought to himself, it had shaken him a little when she didn’t answer him earlier, but he knew he still loved her just as much.

‘Samantha Cassidy, do you take this man, George Sampson, to be your lawfully wedded husband.’

Malcolm had been paying attention to the ceremony, so when Adaline leaned even closer to him, her breath against his ear, he almost didn’t hear her as she was speaking so softly as to not disturb the wedding. 

‘Yes, I will.’ 

His head turned quickly to her and saw the look in her eyes. She nodded slowly at his questioning look. Malcolm lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. It took all of his willpower to not lift her up in his arms and swing her about in glee at her response.

The ceremony concluded and they were swept up with everyone else to head outside for photos. Malcolm and Adaline stood off to one side, waiting until they would all head off to the reception at a local restaurant that they’d booked for the event. 

All of the other unwed ladies were gathering in anticipation of the traditional bouquet toss, but Sam had other ideas. Sam had no idea of what had taken place between Malcolm and Adaline, bus she had talked to George about this many times leading up to their wedding and they had both agreed. Sam stepped down the church steps towards the couple. It was no surprise that Adaline was looking confused and Malcolm was just as perplexed. ‘Pick that jaw of yours up off the floor, Malcolm. I’ve learned over years of working with you to be ready to ignore the rules.’ Sam took Adaline’s hand in hers and laid the bouquet on her palm then closed Adaline’s fingers around it. ‘I’ve watched you and Malcolm’s relationship grow and I know that I want none other than you and Malcolm to be the next one’s to wed. You two belong together. I can see it in your souls.’

‘Sam,’ Malcolm found himself unable to speak for a second time that day.

Adaline graciously took the bouquet and hugged Sam. ‘Sam, you’ll be the first to know once I’ve said yes to Malcolm.’ Today was Sam’s day, so Adaline and Malcolm agreed to keep the ‘asked and answered’ to themselves. ‘Then I guess I’ll just have to harass Malcolm to get asking you.’ Sam teased and then hugged Malcolm. ‘Thank you for being here today for me, Malcolm.’

‘I couldn’t say no to the best damn PA ever,’ Malcolm grinned and caught the sly wink from Adaline. ‘And don’t you worry about having to harass me about asking Adaline. I know when I have a deadline that I have to meet.’

‘Good man,’ Sam patted his cheek. ‘See you at the reception, both of you.’

Malcolm’s arm went around Adaline’s waist, holding her close to keep her warm in the chill air. The newlyweds got into their limo. Everyone else was scattering to their own cars to head off themselves. Malcolm had hired a car for him and Adaline and it was waiting for them. He held off stepping to the car for another moment, getting a curious look from Adaline. Not until the others were all gone did he turn to her.

‘I think this is the best time ever to do this properly, love.’ Malcolm dropped to one knee, a hand reaching into his tuxedo jacket pocket to take out the ring once more. ‘Adaline, will you marry me?’

Adaline looked down at him, her eyes welling up as her heart beat faster. ‘Oh yes, Malcolm. I will marry you.’ Malcolm opened the ring box and took out the elegant white gold ring with it’s sparkling diamond in the setting. Adaline gasped at the sight of it as he slipped it onto her finger. It fit perfectly. ‘This is mad, Malcolm. This ring must have cost you a fortune. It’s Tiffany’s!’

‘You are worth every single penny, Adaline.’ Malcolm rose to his feet, his hands holding onto hers. ‘The amount doesn’t matter, my love. This is just a way for me to show you how much you mean to me.’

‘I’d still marry you if you had no ring at all to give me, you dear Scot.’ 

‘Guess I can save money on the wedding rings then?’ 

Adaline laughed. ‘You are a very dear Scot and typically cheap!’

‘It’s all about spending money on the right things.’ Malcolm kissed her. ‘Or in this case the right woman!’

The driver of their booked car honked the horn. They laughed and, hand in hand, went to the car to head to the reception.


	42. Chapter 42

Spring had come to the hills around Balquhidder. 

Malcolm had ceded the planning of their own wedding to Adaline. 

After winter celebrations, Sam and George were very happy to learn that Malcolm kept his promise to Sam and asked Adaline to marry him. The couple announced their engagement shortly after Sam and George were married and they had both not been surprised and incredibly overjoyed at the news. 

Now they had invited Sam and George up for a weekend. The planning had been touch and go on the actual date as they had to get the right weather for what they wanted to do for their wedding, but they were lucky to have it turn their way on the weekend they had hoped for, with Sam and George by their side. 

Adaline’s booking agent had argued against her taking time off in the spring but they had both been adamant and she had no guided hikes booked for the two weeks around their preferred date. George had been able to book the time off and Sam had no issues with time off either. 

‘We on for tomorrow?’ Malcolm was on the phone to the local pastor. ‘Weather report is showing no rain and should be warm enough.’

‘Should be fine. I’ll bring my umbrella just in case.’ 

‘Meet here at 10 am then we’ll head to the spot?’

‘I’ll be there.’ The pastor confirmed and Malcolm hung up. 

‘Big day tomorrow, love.’ Malcolm joined Adaline outside, helping her to her feet from her gardening. 

‘I’m trying to not get nervous now.’

‘No need to be nervous. I’m not backing out at all.’

‘Not that at all. Just’

‘Shush, love. Everyone gets nervous before the big day. Everyone is ready and the weather will be perfect.’

‘I hope so.’ 

* * *  
The next day, the sun was shining and the weather was warmer than usual for this time of year. Sam and George walked up from the village to the cottage with the pastor. Malcolm had already packed up two backpacks with a light meal and drinks for all of them to enjoy. 

‘Ready, love?’ Malcolm asked, hefting his backpack onto his shoulders and then helping the other onto George’s back. 

‘I’m ready.’ Adaline came out of the cottage. They all wore comfortable hiking boots and gear. The pastor lead the way, as comfortable on the hills after a decade of ministering the village and surrounding area. The spot they were heading to was well known by all as a wonderful view of the valley and was flat enough for a small group to have a picnic lunch. Sam and George followed the pastor with Adaline and Malcolm bringing up the back of the small group. Malcolm held Adaline’s hand the entire way up the hill. 

Arriving, Sam and George had to sit for a few minutes to catch their breaths. The pastor prepared himself as Malcolm laid out the picnic blanket and lunch to be ready for afterwards. The sun shone on them as small birds chirped from their nests in some nearby hedges. 

The small group gathered after a few minutes. Sam and George stood to either side of Malcolm and Adaline as they faced the pastor. 

‘We are gathered here today in this peaceful place to join Malcolm Tucker and Adaline Atwood in holy matrimony. Are there any here present who have reason to bar their joining?’

Neither Sam or George spoke. 

‘We will commence.’ The pastor began the ceremony. It was simple and straightforward. ‘Malcolm, declare your vows.’

‘Adaline, I vow that I will forever love you in health and in sickness. Never in anger but always in peace and together as one. This I vow to you with all of my heart and soul.’

‘Adaline, declare your vows.’

‘Malcolm,’ Adaline’s fingers tightened around his as they stood there. ‘I vow that I will forever entrust you with my love and my life in your care no matter what we may face together. This I vow to you with all of my heart and soul.’

‘Malcolm Tucker, do you take Adaline Atwood to be your lawfully wedded wife?’

‘I do.’ Malcolm never once took his eyes off Adaline as he spoke, slipping the white gold wedding band on her ring finger.

‘Adaline Atwood, do you take Malcolm Tucker to be your lawfully wedded husband?’

‘I do,’ Adaline responded fervently, her fingers shaking slightly as she put the matching band on Malcolm’s ring finger.

‘By the powers vested in me I declare you man and wife.’

They didn’t need any prompting, kissing one another lovingly and slow. Sam and George applauded, throwing a handful of flower petals over them. They separated at least from kissing, and they all sat down to eat the packed lunch. Shortly after they finished, the pastor stood up to head back down to his church. Sam and George left at the same time, George happy to take both empty packs down. 

‘Just leave them on the porch, George. We’ll get them when we get back ourselves,’ Adaline said, lounging still on the blanket against Malcolm.

‘Will do. Congratulations you two!’ George smiled at them and then at Sam, recalling their own recent wedding.

‘Congratulations, Adaline. Malcolm. We’ll see you tomorrow at the pub for dinner?’

‘Till then,’ Malcolm nodded. They watched as the three of them left to head down the hill back to the village. Malcolm sat there, arm draped around Adaline’s shoulders. The two of them sat for some time as the sun slowly moved in the sky. Finally, they got up and folded up the blanket to be carried back down with them. The sun was still above the crest of the hills but at an angle. Malcolm turned to Adaline and kissed her for some time, his lips lingering there. ‘I love you, Mrs. Tucker.’

‘I love you too, Mr. Tucker,’ She smiled, stroking his cheeks. Slowly, she traced her hands over his chest until she took his hands in hers. She didn’t say anything, but simply pressed his hands against her stomach, watching his reaction.

He glanced into her eyes, down to their hands and then back to her eyes, a grin spreading on his face.

‘If it’s a boy, his name will be Logan,’ Adaline smiled and then squealed as Malcolm gathered her in his arms to kiss her for a long time.

**Author's Note:**

> Once again a big shout out to @MissWinterseat for her wonderful story pic and the prompting not only for the idea but along the way. :)


End file.
